Let's just say that Rousseau is feeling all the feels when it comes to the ladies. Specifically, he's feeling lustful towards… well, just about everyone. But Rousseau's lust comes with a side of guilt and a dollop of anxiety about doing the wrong thing. Remember, this is the guy who weighs Mme de Warens' offer to have sex with him for eight days. That's eight days of making pros and cons lists and generally freaking out.
Now, Rousseau has every right to weigh such a big decision carefully. Thinking and worrying about his lust takes up a ton of time in his Confessions, though. Without that pesky lust, we probably would get a pretty tame confession from Rousseau, anyway.
Questions About Lust
- Why does Rousseau struggle so much with his lust for Mme de Warens?
- How does Rousseau portray ladies' lustful actions? In other words, is he as harsh with the ladies as he is with himself?
- Why does Rousseau's lust make him feel so guilty?
Chew on This
Rousseau only lusts after women whom he finds to be his intellectual equals.
Although Rousseau thinks plenty about manipulating his way into a decent career, he never connects lust with manipulation—even when he's overtly manipulating the ladies he romances.