Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the Poetry of His Time

We tend to consider that French poetry was in crisis in the 18th century, “the Century of Philosophy”. Therefore, when it comes to the renaissance of lyricism in the second half of this century, it is Rousseau’s novel and autobiographies that draw the attention of readers. However, the comparison of texts allows us to understand the necessity to reexamine them by relating them to the poetry of his time.