rousseau on the social contract sparknotes

His next works were less popular The Social Contract and Èmile were condemned and publicly burnt in Paris and Geneva in 1762. The publication of Rousseau's sentimental novel Julie, ou la Nouvelle Heloise in 1761 gained him a huge following. Rousseau's later quarrel with Voltaire was legendary for its violence. 1758 marked a break with many of the Enlightenment philosophers his Letter to d'Alembert attacked d'Alembert's article in the French Encyclopedia on Geneva. Discourse on Inequality was completed in May 1754, and published in 1755. His First Discourse, on the Arts and Sciences, won first prize in a competition run by the Dijon Academy, and he had an opera and a play performed to great acclaim. In the early 1750s, Rousseau had a string of successes. He became friends with the Enlightenment figure Diderot, who commissioned him to write articles for the famous Encyclopédie. From 1742 to 1749, Rousseau lived in Paris, barely earning a living by teaching and by copying music. From 1740–41, he worked as a private tutor for Monsieur de Mably, brother of the famous writer, the Abbe de Mably.

Rousseau worked as a servant, music teacher and engraver. They eventually became lovers, and des Warens persuaded him to convert to Catholicism. Rousseau began to write whilst living with her. He met Madame des Warens, a noted Catholic lady of leisure, in Savoy. When, in 1728, Rousseau found himself locked out of Geneva at night, he decided to travel abroad to seek his fortune. He had no formal education, but read widely in ancient and modern authors, inspired initially by his father's collection of books. Isaac left Geneva after an argument in 1722 Rousseau nevertheless had a high opinion of his father, referring to him in the dedication to the Discourse as 'the virtuous Citizen to whom I owe my life.' Rousseau worked as a clerk to a notary, and then was apprenticed to an engraver. His father, Isaac Rousseau, was a watchmaker. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born in Geneva on Jhis mother died on July 7.

Rousseau on the social contract sparknotes