Les Essais Faits Flashcards
era
1188
L’humanisme
philosophie de la perfection
- cherche le bonheur
- etre plus heureux
- vivre en societe avec les autres
Renaissance
- les arts
- nouvelle volonté de changer le monde
Le pouvoir politique et le mécénat
- medicine
Education
- pas favorable aux femmes
- seule les femmes des haut classes
Marie de Bernaut
- veut publier une recette tres important
Purpose of the book
Montaigne clarifies that the book is created out of personal and familial motives rather than for public acclaim or glory. He aims to provide his parents and friends with a deeper understanding of his character and moods, especially as he anticipates his own death.
Authenticity
He emphasizes the importance of authenticity in his writing, stating that he wishes to present himself in a simple, natural, and unadorned manner. He rejects the idea of crafting a polished image for the sake of societal approval.
Self-Portrayal
Montaigne considers himself the subject of the book and acknowledges that his flaws and naive personality will be evident in his writing. He expresses a desire for complete transparency, likening it to painting himself “entirely naked.”
Frivolity of the Subject
He acknowledges that the subject matter may not be of significant interest to readers, suggesting that it could be seen as frivolous. He implies that the reader’s time might be better spent elsewhere.
Closing Thoughts
The introduction concludes with a farewell, reinforcing the personal nature of the work and the connection to his immediate circle rather than a broader audience.
Overall, Montaigne sets the tone for an intimate and candid reflection on his life and character, inviting readers to engage with his personal journey rather than seeking external validation or grandeur.
Why does Montaigne write his essays, according to him?
He wants to describe man honestly and truthfully
Essay=to try (in french)
This is the first essay writing of the modern world
Non-definitive trials that explores ideas
He writes essays to examine topics that have not been looked at in a certain way yet; to carve his own path of reason. He also writes them so that his family will be able to look back and see what kind of man he was outside of his political positions
What does Montaigne praise about the cannibals?
Praise:it’s a simple way of living, avoidance of artifice
The group is close knit (use language like father and brother)
There are only two rules: love your wife, respect nature
Not barbarous
Basic point: no corruption because there’s no artifice, and no hierarchy because no artifice (like clothes, arts, sciences)
The cannibals have, he says, no words for lying, treachery, dissimulation, avarice, envy, and other vices. They have no slaves, no distinctions between rich and poor, and no mania
Ode to the “noble savage”: outlines the lifestyle of the “barbaric” natives of the new world, while critiquing Europe because they’re “civilized” nature isn’t really any better than that of the “barbarians”
What does Montaigne criticize about the cannibals?
lack of reason
Why do you think Montaigne introduces his discussion of the cannibals with a description of the change in the landscape around where he lives?
Explains the ground we stand on is moving and everything is changing (there’s no certainty)
Like the river
Things we think of as constant and stable are susceptible to change too
Says he wants to accept the change contrary to how Machiavelli suggests violence
Maybe he does this to open his audience’s mind of the idea of change a different type of thought than Machiavelli
Why does Montaigne not “share the common error of judging another by myself”? (Of Cato the Younger)
He has a commitment to tolerance towards people with different ways of life
What is the effect of wearing clothes?
Clothes are unnatural and they represent the artifice in life
Clothes create the idea of hierarchy in life – explains that the chain of being is artificially created
Is it better to laugh or to weep according to Montaigne? Why?
Better to laugh at frailties than worry about defects
Shouldn’t take things too seriously
To worry about defects is to have a standard to judge perfect from imperfect
On idleness
An idle mind is no good -> if not given a task, the mind will aimlessly frolic in imaginary lands
‘it bolted off like a runaway horse, taking far more trouble over itself than it ever did over anyone else; it gives birth to so many chimeras and fantastic monstrosities, one after another, without order or fitness’
On the power of imagination
Imagination generates reality -> placebo effect to the extreme
At the end, he talks about how all of his anecdotes come from his friends; says that he doesn’t understand how people can write histories and call them factual; says that he would never
On friendship
Chronicles different kinds of friendships, condemns brother/sister and parental relationships as being forced and therefore untrue; claims that the true relationship exists between only two people, be the relationship sexual or otherwise, where they are essentially the same person
On repentance
There is no need to repent to your fellow humans–they judge based on their flawed truths; “you must use your own judgment on yourself”; honor comes from consistency, from presenting to the world the same face that you present within your home; we are who we are, you can’t change, we are a product of circumstance
On experience
Experience = interpretations of interpretations -> meaning gets buried under all the interpretations
Looks at law and medicine -> kidney stones bit
Old Age and Retirement (living for others)
‘It seems to me that solitude is more reasonable and right for those who… have devoted to the world their more active, vigorous years. We have lived quite enough for others: let us live at least this tail-end of our life for ourselves.’ (‘On Solitude’)
on women, relationships, sex, and how to raise children
Montaigne on Women & Relationships
He appreciated female companionship but believed men and women had fundamentally different roles in life.
He saw love as an unstable and fleeting emotion, often driven more by passion than reason.
He admired female intelligence but lived in a deeply patriarchal time, so his views reflected some of those biases.
He often wrote about love as something irrational and dangerous, especially when it became obsessive.
In De trois commerces, he admitted to enjoying the company of witty and intelligent women, but also warned against the dangers of letting emotions control reason.
Montaigne on Sex
He saw sex as a natural human function but thought it should be controlled by reason.
He criticized extremes—both excess and repression.
He referenced his own youthful experiences with lust and passion but implied that he had learned from them.
He sometimes associated sexual desire with suffering, noting how love and passion can lead to distress and irrational decisions.
Montaigne on Raising Children
He believed education should prioritize character over rote memorization.
He supported a balanced education—combining intellectual learning with physical and moral development.
He was critical of harsh disciplinary methods, advocating for a more reasoned approach.
He emphasized leading by example, saying that children learn more from what they see than what they are told.
He valued practical knowledge and real-world experience over bookish learning alone.
- The Age of Discoveries (1er cours sur les découvertes)
Montaigne was deeply interested in the “New World” and the European encounters with indigenous peoples.
In Des Cannibales (Essais, I, 31), he compares indigenous societies to Europeans, often portraying them as more “natural” and morally superior.
He criticizes the violence and arrogance of European colonization, highlighting the brutality inflicted on indigenous people.
His skepticism about European superiority aligns with his broader philosophy of questioning established truths.
The Reformation & Evangelism
Montaigne lived through the Protestant Reformation and the Wars of Religion in France.
He was officially Catholic but took a moderate and skeptical stance, believing in religious tolerance.
He distrusted both Catholic and Protestant dogmatism, seeing religious violence as irrational.
He argued that faith should be personal and not imposed, making him somewhat aligned with the individualism of Protestant reformers but without fully supporting their cause.
In Apologie de Raymond Sebond (Essais, II, 12), he debates whether reason can prove faith, ultimately suggesting that human reason is too weak to grasp divine truth.
- Key Themes in Essais
Education
Montaigne valued experience over memorization.
He opposed rigid, authoritarian teaching methods, arguing that students should learn through discussion, critical thinking, and real-world experiences.
In De l’Institution des Enfants (Essais, I, 26), he emphasizes shaping character rather than just stuffing children’s minds with facts.
Faith
Montaigne was skeptical but not atheist—he believed faith was necessary but unknowable.
He criticized those who claimed to fully understand God’s will, advocating for humility in religious matters.
Wisdom
He saw wisdom as recognizing human limitations—we don’t know as much as we think we do.
His famous motto Que sais-je? (“What do I know?”) reflects his belief that questioning is the key to wisdom.
He admired stoic and Epicurean philosophies, seeing them as ways to achieve inner peace.
