Dennis C. Ramdawah
ENG 4300
Professor J. Desalvo

March 30, 2012

In writing about the literary styles of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Jane Austen, there are subtle comparisons and contrast the reader draws upon to decipher the ideological content of these two writers’ works. Rousseau’s, The Confessions and Austen’s Pride and Prejudice exhibit the sensibility of nature in one perspective and the hierarchy of an aristocratic culture too long forgotten. Moreover, these writers draw upon natural life experiences to showcase their thoughts on humanity, life, love and nature as a whole. They both employ these two definitive factors throughout their respective works. Their writing reflects their passionate relationship during the Romantic period and why they became influential artisans of that era. Rousseau’s most influential work, The Social Contract, discusses the origins of government and states emphatically that laws cannot be made if the people do not agree upon them. These thoughts on government were light years ahead of his time and for citizens of the Romantic period. Additionally, Rousseau argued that children should live and play and enjoy the outdoors and their learning should coincide with them during these stages of development. He bore his development as a child emotionally through his experiences with nature. He thought nature should have an impact in literature. These same influences are the kindling flames of the Romantic movement that spread from England to abroad. We can attribute much of his ideology to Romantic thinking and the movement as a whole. Further works that implicate Rousseau during Romantic expression would be that of The Confessions. In this exploratory work, Rousseau defines his pedagogy. In Confessions, Rousseau outlines the child, (himself) and the innateness with his feelings. These feelings are fused with the beauty of the outdoor world he enjoyed experiencing as a child. This is nature in its purest form for Rousseau. He outlines his life from his family upbringing to his stealing away at the age of sixteen to see the world after the departure of his father. His narrative discusses his bad behavior as a child and his first experience of being beaten by his nanny, who consequently he admired, although she was an older woman by many respect. This is also the early moment in which he wanted to be beaten again and would be his entrance into the world of sexuality. The narrative goes into detail of his relationships with several women and his abounding sexual frustrations. More than that, Rousseau doesn’t reflect on dates and times and places as a reflection of his past but it is the early moments of his feelings that brings about his suspension from child to adult. These are the moments that make him the master of his domain and have led him to the place that he winds up in. Rousseau’s sheer understanding of ”self” is what catapults him as the subject of his story. One can relate this type of literature to the present day written autobiography. Rousseau examines all his imperfections and his childhood experiences and uses these moments to explain his thinking and rationale during his adult life. The Confessions captures the spirit of a young child and uses his emotions and being to define and characterize his personality and pushes the innocence of child like hope of a true Romantic. On the other hand, there are similar vices and subtle contrasts, given the works of Jane Austen. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is the preemptive disclosure of the American society during 1813. This hierarchical society depicted by Austen, identifies how families with wealth and prosperity, withstand the test of time, given the emotional climate of their lives. Similarly, if we look at the early life of Rousseau, his pedagogy makes him a different being based on his early experiences as a child and innateness with nature. Conversely, we see individuals who love but on a different scale. These characters see love or marriage in a financial sense. It is my observation that their prosperous nature is what stood in their way of finding true self, much less that of a loving relationship. In this culture, the haves would not have been with the have not’s. In other words, it would be highly unlikely to see the upper crust of this society mixing with that of the lower class Gentry. This would be unheard of on all accounts due to the social implications of that time. But Austen gives us a little hope. In Pride and Prejudice, she paints a different picture with the characters heroine Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth Bennet seems to be in a place before her time. She is masterful with the English language and does not let any such person put bounds on her aspirations. Consequently, we see Jane Bennet, a far cry from that of her sister, Elizabeth. Austen implicates her to hide all emotions in the face of dishonesty, depression and poor judgment. These characters must exercise the highest level of patience given this emotional climate. They do not change easily in relation to their feelings. They must save pride at all cost rather than bare the face of an emotional wreck. Rousseau is the contrary to Austen’s character depictions. He embraces the fact that because of his sensibility with his feelings and emotions, he quantifies his personality with these prior learning’s. In further analysis, one develops the” self” ideology through experimentation of feelings and emotions, as he did when he was a child. I believe that Austen accomplishes this is a similar, yet subtle way. Take for instance, the heroine Elizabeth. She refuses to believe that her social class status, delineates her from reaching the higher classes. She is genuinely a good person and holds herself to that. However, it is this same trait, or feeling if you will, that causes her much pain when she realizes how she treated Mr. Darcy during the wedding proposal. It’s only after this new found development that she realizes, “Till this moment, I never knew myself.” And it is this early moment that we can compare this to the development of the emotional well being as discussed by Rousseau. To find thy true self is to have known your emotions. Austen also gives us life lessons not to prejudge someone based on prior actions. She tells you to approach with an open heart, even in the face of bitter animosity. When you have done this, then you have grown into a being that is filled with compassion, forgiveness and hope. Hope in the sense that your actions are not based on presumptions of others. In my opinion, this circles back to the Romantic school of thought. Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Jane Austen will continue to define the early expressions of Romantic thought based on the values incorporated within each respective work. Rousseau’s, The Confessions, will remain a timeless piece that implores feelings and emotions, and draws upon nature as a recourse for self expression and identity. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, will continue to show us that the highest class of society can change their moral fiber, if they wish to evolve into a higher state of consciousness to know thy self. That although societal classes may possess boundary lines, if you point to your emotional faculties, anything is possible for self-fulfillment and happiness. The Romantic thought teaches us to remain hopeful in times of disappointment and these two writers have given us much to remain hopeful for years to come.