{"id":3911,"date":"2017-04-29T09:17:55","date_gmt":"2017-04-29T07:17:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/?p=3911"},"modified":"2020-05-30T23:13:48","modified_gmt":"2020-05-30T21:13:48","slug":"julie-oder-die-neue-heloise-jean-jacques-rousseau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lesestunden.de\/en\/2017\/04\/julie-or-the-new-heloise-jean-jacques-rousseau\/","title":{"rendered":"Julie or The New Heloise \u2022 Jean-Jacques Rousseau"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

I often find excellent book recommendations within books themselves. When an author or a title keeps being mentioned, it certainly catches my attention. One such book is Julie, or the New Heloise<\/em> by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which was recently mentioned in a work by Balzac and has crossed my path countless times. The premise also sounds quite appealing: an epistolary novel about an unmarried young woman who gives in to an improper love affair. A book scandalous enough to become a topic of conversation in Parisian salons. And coming from a French author, of course. Naturally, my curiosity was piqued, and I couldn\u2019t resist for long.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Of course, I immediately went looking for a handsome collector\u2019s edition \u2014 only to be sorely disappointed. An eBook is easy enough to find, but otherwise the situation looks bleak. There are a few shabby paperback editions that are quite expensive, as well as some much older (and even pricier) antiquarian hardcovers. I eventually found a pretty good deal on eBay and managed to snag both volumes in a compact format for just a few euros. They were published by Philipp Reclam jun. There\u2019s no year printed, but from my research I suspect the edition dates from around 1900. The books are quite worn, printed in Fraktur type, and the spine of the first volume cracked as I was reading (the second one was already broken). So, not exactly a bibliophile\u2019s dream, but there\u2019s something charming about holding such old books in your hands.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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The story can be summarized quite easily: the beautiful Julie, from an aristocratic family, falls in love with her tutor, a young man of common birth, and begins an affair with him. In the 18th century, this was, of course, socially and morally unacceptable, and thus begins a struggle for true virtue. The book is written as an epistolary novel, consisting of correspondence exchanged between the lovers and people in their circle \u2014 for instance, Julie\u2019s cousin. There are also some letters between secondary characters. The format works very well, allowing readers to follow the progression of the story, the encounters, and their outcomes in detail. Because the characters tell and describe events from their own perspectives, one feels a pleasant closeness to them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Julie, or the New Heloise<\/em> was published in 1761, and my edition is from around 1900 \u2014 so it\u2019s clear that one encounters a very different kind of language than in a contemporary book or a newly translated classic. The style is verbose, emotional, flowery, and old-fashioned. But that fits perfectly with the story, the time, and the theme. I love writing that brims with passion and fervor \u2014 and the French, true to form, go all in. In love, as in all things, it\u2019s always all or nothing: eternal love or death, perfect virtue or vice. The book overflows with emotion. What exploding cars are to Alarm f\u00fcr Cobra 11<\/em>, bursting passions are to French authors \u2014 and here, lovers explode just as reliably as those cars on TV. The characters regularly throw themselves at each other\u2019s feet, drenching them with tears. I thoroughly enjoyed it all. This is grand drama \u2014 and exactly my style.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

“Do you realize to what degree a lover who lives only for you can infuse joy into your existence? Do you comprehend in its full extent that henceforth I shall live, act, think, and feel only for you? No, you precious source of my being, I shall have no soul but yours; I shall be nothing more than a part of your self, and in the depths of my heart you will find so sweet a life that you will not feel what charm your own has lost.” (Volume 1, p. 452)<\/p><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The novel consists of two volumes. I found the first volume very entertaining in terms of story. There are, of course, some passages where Saint-Preux, Julie\u2019s lover, goes on at great length about Parisian society (and there are other lengthy letters as well), but overall, it offers a gripping narrative. I could easily empathize with the protagonists, and even though it\u2019s quite sentimental, it\u2019s a touching love story. What can I say \u2014 I have a sensitive heart and am easily moved by the fate of two lovers. That said, there are moments when Saint-Preux comes across as a bit of a wimp \u2014 overly emotional or unstable. Realistic it is not, let\u2019s be honest.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Julie d’\u00c9tanges reading a letter from Saint-Preux. Illustration: Tony Johannot, engraving: Brugnot. (Source: Wikipedia<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Between the first and second volume there\u2019s a time jump of about eight years. My curiosity to see how things would continue was still strong \u2014 but the pace slows down drastically. The first half of the second volume is quite tedious. Here Rousseau goes into great detail describing how an idyllic agricultural estate functions perfectly, touching on many details. It\u2019s almost philosophical, as his goal is to show how the virtuous country dweller should live, regardless of class. In many ways this struck me as surprisingly progressive \u2014 it even reminded me a bit of modern startup culture. At the same time, his views on women and child-rearing are utterly antiquated and regressive, enough to send chills down one\u2019s spine. In total, he touches on a wide range of subjects \u2014 faith, morality, education, the right to suicide, atheism, and society \u2014 some in more detail than others.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Only the second half of the second volume becomes engaging again, as the story of the protagonists resumes. The ending, however, felt contrived and failed to captivate me. The pacing becomes slow again, and although Rousseau tries to tie things together through the theme of faith, I couldn\u2019t quite connect with his conclusions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What makes the letters somewhat more believable \u2014 albeit lengthy \u2014 is that the two lovers keep rehashing the same topics. Virtue, vice, and every statement they make are dissected and analyzed by the other in painstaking detail. This leads to many long letters that add little new. Rousseau is quite aware of this, and in a footnote (see Vol. 2, p. 321), he plainly states that he doesn\u2019t care. A bold declaration, to say the least. Still, these contradictions and the misguided reasoning of the letter writers make the collection feel authentic.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In an extensive preface, Rousseau explains what he aims to achieve with this work. Partly in dialogue with his publisher, he outlines how the first book represents vice and the second, a virtuous way of life. He seeks to flatter his rural readership, painting life in the countryside as idyllic and morally superior to the depravity of the big city \u2014 hence his famous slogan \u201cBack to Nature.\u201d In the second volume, he elaborates on this at great length, though not particularly effectively in my opinion. One can imagine such a rural utopia, but he fantasizes about a society that could never really exist \u2014 after all, he\u2019s talking about human coexistence. Reality looks quite different, and so much of what he describes in the second volume felt overly theoretical. Combined with the long-winded descriptions, I often found myself bored.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Through this story, Rousseau clearly criticizes class distinctions and makes a case for marriage based on love. However, in the second volume he revises much of this and instead emphasizes religiosity, virtue, honesty, and moderation as the ideal way of life \u2014 or at least that\u2019s how I read it. In many respects, especially in his vision of a modestly managed vineyard and its guiding principles, I found Rousseau surprisingly forward-thinking. Yet his portrayal of religion as a means to compensate for lack of freedom and suppressed emotion, and his insistence that a virtuous life should take precedence over personal happiness, come through quite clearly. The characters all remain confined within their societal roles, rebel only slightly, and ultimately conform to the moral expectations of their time. The ending, in particular, highlights the importance of religion to each character. In both the preface and the footnotes, Rousseau distances himself from his characters, describing their philosophy as provincial and limited. I find it difficult to interpret Rousseau\u2019s worldview or to say what message he truly wished to convey with this book. Perhaps a good reason to soon turn to his Confessions<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Julie, or the New Heloise<\/em> was one of the greatest bestsellers of the 18th century, published more than 70 times and frequently sold out. Originally, the book was titled Letters of Two Lovers from a Small Town at the Foot of the Alps<\/em>, as the story is set in the Swiss Alps. The title Julie, or the New Heloise<\/em> refers to the medieval love story of Heloise and Peter Abelard. That 12th-century tale begins similarly: Heloise falls in love with her tutor Abelard, enters into an affair with him, which is later discovered \u2014 leading to tragedy and turmoil.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Julie, or the New Heloise<\/em> also reminded me of Goethe\u2019s The Sorrows of Young Werther<\/em><\/a>. It\u2019s also an epistolary novel, written in a similar style, and deeply intertwined with nature. Rousseau constantly describes the natural world, linking it to his characters and their emotions. Considering Goethe\u2019s novel appeared thirteen years after Rousseau\u2019s and the strong similarities between them, I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if Goethe had drawn inspiration from Rousseau\u2019s work.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rousseau is certainly one of the biggest names in the pond. As one of the most important philosophers of the Enlightenment, his work is deeply tied to the French Revolution. His pedagogical call of \u201cBack to Nature\u201d is clearly reflected in this novel as well. Those who wish to learn more about Rousseau and his philosophy will find that reading this book alone isn\u2019t enough \u2014 one likely has to turn to his Confessions<\/em>. Whether that\u2019s truly the case, I\u2019ll find out soon \u2014 and report back.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Conclusion:<\/strong> I was very curious about this book \u2014 both because of its many mentions in 19th-century literature and because of its blurb (or rather, the summaries one finds). The first volume captivated me with its heartfelt scenes, beautiful old-fashioned romantic language, and love story. The first \u2014 and especially the second \u2014 volume, however, often felt too talkative, too detailed, and lost much of its narrative tension. Rousseau\u2019s digressions on various topics \u2014 from the ideal management of a farm to education, faith, and morality \u2014 struck me as mixed, sometimes insightful but often tedious. Overall, it\u2019s a lovely love story that\u2019s at times gripping, at others contrived. Certainly not a must-read, but one you won\u2019t regret picking up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Book Information:<\/strong> Julie, or the New Heloise<\/em> \u2022 Jean-Jacques Rousseau \u2022 Reclam \u2022 533 pages (Vol. 1) and 495 pages (Vol. 2)<\/p>\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I often find excellent book recommendations within books themselves. When an author or a title keeps being mentioned, it certainly catches my attention. One such book is Julie, or the New Heloise by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which was recently mentioned in a work by Balzac and has crossed my path countless times. The premise also sounds … <\/p>\n

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