Romain Rolland and the Politics of the Intellectual Engagement

Focusing on Romain Rolland's intellectual journey, this portrait examines his political commitment amidst the tumult of European history between the world wars. Renowned for his works on Beethoven and the novel "Jean-Christophe," Rolland critiqued bourgeois society and sought to reshape it during the interwar period. David James Fisher analyzes Rolland's diverse styles of engagement, from mysticism and pacifism to antifascism and socialist humanism, shedding light on the complexities of intellectual responsibility and the role of committed writers in turbulent times.