Rosseau's Source of Happiness in The Fifth Walk

What is the source of Rosseau’s happiness and is it related to contemplation and writing? Happiness is a subjective term. It has no formal measurement and differs between people and cultures. It is also multidimensional in that it encompasses the senses and contingent on a range of internal and external factors such as mood, perception of experiences and the weather. It is my view it is not possible to attribute Rosseau’s happiness only to writing, contemplation or reveries. Also the absence of expectation and escapes from reality can affect one’s notion of the concept. Rosseau states that his happiness could be found in pastimes and not in a plain account of them “So what was this happiness.

This would remain a mystery were I to describe to them the life I led there everything I did during my stay there was infact nothing more than the delicious and necessary pastime of a man dedicated to idleness. ” () He describes some pastimes such as eating with friends, rowing on the lake and chronicling nature. “” The author was truly engaged these pastimes. He describes in vivid detail writing a book about plants and flowers (Flora petrinsularis), picking fruit, rowing and walking in nature. ‘’Nothing could be more extraordinary than the great joy and ecstasy I felt every time I observed something about the structure and organisation of plants” The value is shown by the use of emotive language ‘great joy and ecstasy’ and vivid imagery. The author seems relaxed, in awe, without deadlines, participating in non demanding activities that allowed creative and untroubled thoughts. This could be compared to a person participating in leisure activities on holidays. It was joyful when he retired from work temporarily yet writing about the experience was also meaningful 12 years later. The desk represents this burden of professional writing and it’s absence makes him happy. “One of my greatest pleasures was to above all leave my books boxed up and to have no writing desk. ” An example in modern times would be a professional who has no need for tools or stationary and has ample time to reflect and daydream. Leaving the professional sphere temporarily is cause for joy as it reduced his stress and allowed more time on leisurely activities.

Reveries were a source of joy at the time and after the holiday. “ I liked to go and sit at the lakeside in some secluded spot on the shingle. . . ridding my soul of all other agitation, plunged it in to a delicious reverie. ” Rosseau states directly in the aforementioned quote he likes reveries and also refers to them as delicious. “The objects of these images often eluded my senses in my ecstasies, and now, the deeper my reverie is, the more vividly it presents them to me. I am often more in their midst and more pleasurably so than I was when I was really there. ” Emotive word usage and the use of superlatives ‘more in their midst, more pleasurably, more vividly’ convey his great joy in recollecting and writing about the time spent in Bern. Furthermore, new living arrangements, less responsibility, different surroundings resulted in comparatively different environment which could have increased Rosseau’s well-being. He replaced what he refers to as ‘sad’ books with plants “Instead of these sad papers and piles of old books, I filled my room with flowers and grasses. which would soon become a passion” spent extremely large amounts of time outdoors as shown by his frequent trips to the island where he established a rabbit colony. There are few reflections on the time as joyful and free from responsibility far away from mainstream society “The hope that no more would be required of me than to remain in this isolated place where I had willingly ensnared myself ”. It is possible that the change in circumstances also led him to feel safer and happier since criminals had previously attacked his house in Motiers. A state of content solitude is Rosseau’s ideal. He elaborates fondly on hours of alone time at the lake with his soul “with a sufficient, perfect and full happiness. Such is the state in which I often found myself. . . ” and how being disconnected from his old social life gave him this freedom: “Freed from all the earthly passions that the tumult of social life gives rise to” Noting that he has less contact with others: “ in turn gave me the hope of finishing my days there more peacefully than I have lived. ” which refers to an enjoyment in solitude. For the freedom it offered its ironic that he frequently wishes for solitary confinement imposed by others. It is also mentioned that he does immensely enjoy the company of others as referenced by his wish to participate in social life at the summerhouse every day. Rosseau refers to how his experience of living there resonated with his personality so much that he would like to be caged there for eternity although the real world was waiting. It’s a beautiful, semi isolated, naturally stimulating external environment which really causes Rosseau to get in touch with his inner world of imaginations, thoughts and feelings. This connection between the self and the world is the overall joy he experiences “I lived in a way so compatible with my nature that, resolving to end my days there ” which is also evidenced by a contemplation on the state of being: “What does one enjoy in such a situation? Nothing external to the self, nothing but oneself and one’s own existence: as long as this state lasts, one is self-sufficient like god.

”There are no deadlines or concepts of time passing on the island. Nature was one of his passions. “It is said that a German once wrote a book about a lemon rind: I could have written one on every grass in the meadows, on every moss in the woods, and on every lichen covering the rocks”. The author is also proud of establishing a rabbit colony after finding a habitat perfect for them. “Establishing this colony was a real celebration. The pilots of the Argonauts was not prouder than I was. . . ” It seems there are many factors that contributed to Rosseau’s well-being and happiness. A break from stressful circumstances at home and work, focusing more on enjoyable pastimes, solitude and relaxed company all contributed to Rosseau’s happiness at the time, while remembering and writing about the holiday was enjoyable later in life.