Rousseau and Romanticism (ePub)

Irving Babbitt (1865-1933) was a renowned American academic and literary critic whose ideas significantly shaped the development of New Humanism in the early 20th century. Babbitt, a professor at Harvard University, was an outspoken critic of Romanticism and a proponent of classical standards in education and the arts. His scholarly rigor and dedication to high cultural ideals made him a towering figure in the conservative intellectual circles of his time. One of Babbitt's most influential works, 'Rousseau and Romanticism' (1919), is a seminal critique in which he assesses the impact of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's ideas on the cultural and moral landscape of modern society. Babbitt contends that Romanticism, as derived from Rousseau's thought, championed unchecked imagination and emotions at the expense of reason and tradition, leading to cultural decay. Babbitt's literary style is characterized by incisive analysis, extensive erudition, and a profound understanding of both Eastern and Western philosophical traditions. Through his writings, he sought not only to analyze literature and culture but also to provide a framework for the betterment of society through the reinvigoration of classical humanist values. His contributions to literary criticism and cultural commentary have left an enduring mark on the intellectual history of the United States.