Michel de Montaigne was born on February 28, 1533 on his parents’ estate, 30 miles East of Bordeaux. His most famous work, Essais, influenced Literature and established the essay as a form of writing. He lived at the end of the Renaissance and at the beginning of the Reformation. His first language was actually Latin because his father wanted him to be well educated. He began to learn French at the age of six. He was a lawyer, a tax expert, and a member of the Parliament of Bordeaux. He wrote several books before retiring from public life in 1570. His library now became his refuge as he wrote his most famous book. Because much of the content of Essais is disordered ramblings of Montaigne’s mind, his words are difficult to interpret and therefore if I had a choice, I would not continue reading his book.
Michel does make some good points, but most are somewhat muddled due to his interminable sentences. He often begins the statement with a good point but ends the same statement three hours later after a long and pointless story or explanation. “It may be true that to suffer a man’s heart to be totally subdued by compassion maybe imputed to facility, effeminacy, and over-tenderness; whence it comes to pass that the weaker natures, as of women, children, and the common sort of people, are the most subject to it but after having resisted and disdained the power of groans and tears, to yield to the sole reverence of the sacred image of valor, this can be no other than the effect of a strong and inflexible soul enamored of and honoring masculine and obstinate Courage.” In this quote from Essais, Montaigne simply does not make sense! Often he quotes Latin without translating, or even noting where the quotes were from. How can the reader possibly understand him, especially when he often uses these quotes as punch lines?
Michel de Montaigne, author of Essais, influenced western literature by putting his thoughts on paper in a certain form. This form became known as the essay. Even though he is a famous author, I would not continue to read his works because many of his ideas end up rambling and are difficult to interpret.