Julie ou la Nouvelle Héloïse by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Préface Il faut des spectacles dans les grandes villes, et des romans aux peuples corrompus. J’ai vu les mœurs de mon temps, et j’ai publié ces lettres. Que n’ai-je vécu dans un siècle où je dusse les jeter au feu!

Text refers to wikisource.org

Rousseau lived from 1712 to 1778, was as famous as Voltaire and Denis Diderot who were regarded as some of the greatest figures in 18th century. He wrote Discours sur les sciences et les arts, Discours sur l’origine et les fondements de l’inégalité parmi les hommes, Julie ou la Nouvelle Héloïse, Du Contrat social ou Principes du droit politique, Emile ou de l’Education, Les Confessions, and Rousseau juge de Jean-Jacques. Dialogues.

“ou” in French means or. This ou is used in the titles of books, to give 2 titles to a book. First title is more synthetic, synoptic, and sometimes enigmatic, is a general approach to the content of the book. The second title is more developed, gives an outline of the book, clarifies the first title. Readers apprehend from the first title the main subject in the book, and the second title determines whether the book corresponds to their interests or not. This ou is used in the same way from then up to now. Source refers to Yahoo! Answers

~ by dinglingzi on June 16, 2008.