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Les Confessions I: Livres I à VI
Rousseau ne voulait pas qu'un portrait de lui figure en tête de ses OEuvres. Son vrai portrait, le seul qui ne mentirait pas, c'est en lisant ses Confessions qu'on l'aurait sous les yeux : « Je veux montrer à mes semblables un homme dans toute la vérité de la nature ; et cet homme, ce sera moi. »
Mais quelle identité assigner à ce moi qui déclare :
« Je suis autre » ? Autre que tous les autres, et pourtant leur semblable. Perpétuellement autre que soi, et pourtant toujours même. « Bizarre et singulier assemblage » d'identifications multiples où Narcisse et Caton, Alceste et Céladon, Mentor et le petit Jésus, Socrate et la cigale, Orphée et la fourmi, le rat des villes, celui des champs, le berger extravagant, l'agneau immaculé et le bouc émissaire tiennent tour à tour le devant de la scène, sans nuire pour autant à l'unité d'action, « tant tout se tient, tout est un dans mon caractère ».
Au lecteur d'en juger.
Mais quelle identité assigner à ce moi qui déclare :
« Je suis autre » ? Autre que tous les autres, et pourtant leur semblable. Perpétuellement autre que soi, et pourtant toujours même. « Bizarre et singulier assemblage » d'identifications multiples où Narcisse et Caton, Alceste et Céladon, Mentor et le petit Jésus, Socrate et la cigale, Orphée et la fourmi, le rat des villes, celui des champs, le berger extravagant, l'agneau immaculé et le bouc émissaire tiennent tour à tour le devant de la scène, sans nuire pour autant à l'unité d'action, « tant tout se tient, tout est un dans mon caractère ».
Au lecteur d'en juger.
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published April 24, 1998
About the author
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
4,878 books3,086 followersGenevan philosopher and writer Jean Jacques Rousseau held that society usually corrupts the essentially good individual; his works include
The Social Contract
and
Émile
(both 1762).
This important figure in the history contributed to political and moral psychology and influenced later thinkers. Own firmly negative view saw the post-hoc rationalizers of self-interest, apologists for various forms of tyranny, as playing a role in the modern alienation from natural impulse of humanity to compassion. The concern to find a way of preserving human freedom in a world of increasingly dependence for the satisfaction of their needs dominates work. This concerns a material dimension and a more important psychological dimensions. Rousseau a fact that in the modern world, humans come to derive their very sense of self from the opinions as corrosive of freedom and destructive of authenticity. In maturity, he principally explores the first political route, aimed at constructing institutions that allow for the co-existence of equal sovereign citizens in a community; the second route to achieving and protecting freedom, a project for child development and education, fosters autonomy and avoids the development of the most destructive forms of self-interest. Rousseau thinks or the possible co-existence of humans in relations of equality and freedom despite his consistent and overwhelming pessimism that humanity will escape from a dystopia of alienation, oppression, and unfreedom. In addition to contributions, Rousseau acted as a composer, a music theorist, the pioneer of modern autobiography, a novelist, and a botanist. Appreciation of the wonders of nature and his stress on the importance of emotion made Rousseau an influence on and anticipator of the romantic movement. To a very large extent, the interests and concerns that mark his work also inform these other activities, and contributions of Rousseau in ostensibly other fields often serve to illuminate his commitments and arguments.
This important figure in the history contributed to political and moral psychology and influenced later thinkers. Own firmly negative view saw the post-hoc rationalizers of self-interest, apologists for various forms of tyranny, as playing a role in the modern alienation from natural impulse of humanity to compassion. The concern to find a way of preserving human freedom in a world of increasingly dependence for the satisfaction of their needs dominates work. This concerns a material dimension and a more important psychological dimensions. Rousseau a fact that in the modern world, humans come to derive their very sense of self from the opinions as corrosive of freedom and destructive of authenticity. In maturity, he principally explores the first political route, aimed at constructing institutions that allow for the co-existence of equal sovereign citizens in a community; the second route to achieving and protecting freedom, a project for child development and education, fosters autonomy and avoids the development of the most destructive forms of self-interest. Rousseau thinks or the possible co-existence of humans in relations of equality and freedom despite his consistent and overwhelming pessimism that humanity will escape from a dystopia of alienation, oppression, and unfreedom. In addition to contributions, Rousseau acted as a composer, a music theorist, the pioneer of modern autobiography, a novelist, and a botanist. Appreciation of the wonders of nature and his stress on the importance of emotion made Rousseau an influence on and anticipator of the romantic movement. To a very large extent, the interests and concerns that mark his work also inform these other activities, and contributions of Rousseau in ostensibly other fields often serve to illuminate his commitments and arguments.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 21, 2022
franchement j'ai trop la flemme de la terminer, j'ai lu le livre 1er et la moitié du livre 2 à peu près. Après j'ai lu un résumé détaillé, je crois que ca suffit pour comprendre. Je veux pas le garder dans mes "en cour de lecture". C'était pas terrible, pas très intéressant.
July 19, 2026
La première partie se lit de façon fluide comme nager dans de l'eau douce. On voit la progression, la passion, le ressentiment, la jeunesse. Bonne lecture.
May 8, 2016
The only thing I really want to say is: finally.
I have tried read this book for the last 2 months but I never really had the time or the want to finish it! Now I can finally say that I finished!
I enjoyed this book and I'm happy that my teacher asked us to read it.
I heard about Rousseau since I was a little kid but never really had the cance to read any of his books.
I have to say that 'Les Confessions: Book I to IV' is sometimes boring but sometimes mind blowing and that's maybe why I gave it a 3.5 stars.
I agree with Rousseau specialy when he says that he is convinced that your childhood define or at least is the most impotant part of your life because it will define the rest of your lifeand how you're going to live it.
I think it's a really good book that we should all read because it helps you understand your childhoo and your life choices.
I have tried read this book for the last 2 months but I never really had the time or the want to finish it! Now I can finally say that I finished!
I enjoyed this book and I'm happy that my teacher asked us to read it.
I heard about Rousseau since I was a little kid but never really had the cance to read any of his books.
I have to say that 'Les Confessions: Book I to IV' is sometimes boring but sometimes mind blowing and that's maybe why I gave it a 3.5 stars.
I agree with Rousseau specialy when he says that he is convinced that your childhood define or at least is the most impotant part of your life because it will define the rest of your lifeand how you're going to live it.
I think it's a really good book that we should all read because it helps you understand your childhoo and your life choices.
June 12, 2016
There's hardly any point reviewing a book this famous. It met or exceeded all my expectations. I have loved Rousseau's writing on politics and education for years, and it was a pleasure to finally meet the man who thought such beautiful thoughts. His confessions are strangely lascivious, but they are filled with powerful reflections on human life, and compelling episodes in the weird life of a great and flawed man. Read them and weep. Looking forward to Part 2.
August 26, 2024
Interesting autobiography. I did not know much about Rousseau's life besides his works and were he lived and grew up so I was quite surprised. Young Rousseau with all his daydreaming, hopes/delusions of grandeur and romantic passions does not seem like the kind of person we would expect to become a famous philosopher but that's what makes it so refreshing. I'm somewhat curious to read the second half and learn how he ended up where he is.
July 19, 2007
Ok...This is the third I've read this book...and I am loving it!!!
February 5, 2014
Jejejejeje, Rousseau desnudo por ahí.
August 2, 2015
startlingly genuinely confessional and modern. definitely worth a read no matter what you think of Rousseau
August 1, 2020
3.5 *
Pas si mal, c’est comme Proust mais en lisible.
Il veut vivre proche de la nature comme moi.
Pas si mal, c’est comme Proust mais en lisible.
Il veut vivre proche de la nature comme moi.
March 18, 2021
La voix de notre cher auteur est unique, riche et plein d'humeur. Je me hâte de lire sa Nouvelle Héloïse prochainement !
August 10, 2022
3/5 pour les 5 premiers livres
J’ai apprécié l’aspect picaresque du récit de Rousseau
J’ai apprécié l’aspect picaresque du récit de Rousseau
October 16, 2022
D'un ennui mortel.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews