Inspiration and its Expression: The Dialectic of Sentiment in the Writings of Benjamin Constant

Abstract

Constant's works are generally classified as religious, political or literary. This article attempts to read Constant from the perspective of his treatise on religion where the notion of intimate sentiment plays a very prominent role. Sentiment, according to Constant, not only characterizes human individuality, it defines the individual, such that its expression, in its opposition to societal forms, represents a quest for freedom. From this perspective it can be concluded that Constant's literary and political works are in fact a reflection of ideas he developed in his work on religion.