Michel de Montaigne
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| '''Michel Eyquem de Montaigne-Delecroix''' ([[February 28]] [[1533]]–[[September 13]] [[1592]]) was one of the most influential writers of the French [[Renaissance]]. Montaigne is known for popularizing the [[essay]] as a literary genre. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes and autobiography — and his massive volume ''Essais'' (translated literally as "Attempts") contains, to this day, some of the most widely influential essays ever written. Montaigne had a direct influence on writers the world over, from [[William Shakespeare]] to [[Ralph Waldo Emerson]], from [[Friedrich Nietzsche]] to [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau]]. | '''Michel Eyquem de Montaigne-Delecroix''' ([[February 28]] [[1533]]–[[September 13]] [[1592]]) was one of the most influential writers of the French [[Renaissance]]. Montaigne is known for popularizing the [[essay]] as a literary genre. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes and autobiography — and his massive volume ''Essais'' (translated literally as "Attempts") contains, to this day, some of the most widely influential essays ever written. Montaigne had a direct influence on writers the world over, from [[William Shakespeare]] to [[Ralph Waldo Emerson]], from [[Friedrich Nietzsche]] to [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau]]. | ||
| - | In his own time, Montaigne was admired more as a statesman than as an author. His tendency in his essays to diverge into anecdotes and personal ruminations was seen as a detriment rather than an innovation, and his stated motto that "I am myself the matter of my book" was viewed by contemporary writers as self-indulgent. In time, however, Montaigne would be recognized as expressing, perhaps better than any other author of his time, the doubts and thoughts of his age. Remarkably modern even to readers today, Montaigne's attempt to examine the world through the lens of the only thing he can depend on implicitly — his own judgment — makes him more accessible than any other author of the Renaissance. Much of modern literary non-fiction owes its genesis to Montaigne, and writers of all kinds continue to read Montaigne for his masterful balance of intellectual knowledge and personal story-telling. | + | In his own time, Montaigne was admired more as a statesman than as an author. His tendency in his essays to diverge into [[anecdote]]s and personal [[rumination]]s was seen as a detriment rather than an innovation, and his stated motto that "I am myself the matter of my book" was viewed by contemporary writers as [[self-indulgent]]. In time, however, Montaigne would be recognized as expressing, perhaps better than any other author of his time, [[Zeitgeist|the doubts and thoughts of his age]]. Remarkably modern even to readers today, Montaigne's attempt to examine the world through the lens of the only thing he can depend on implicitly — his own judgment — makes him more accessible than any other author of the Renaissance. Much of modern literary [[non-fiction]] owes its genesis to Montaigne, and writers of all kinds continue to read Montaigne for his masterful balance of intellectual knowledge and personal [[story-telling]]. |
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Michel Eyquem de Montaigne-Delecroix (February 28 1533–September 13 1592) was one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance. Montaigne is known for popularizing the essay as a literary genre. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes and autobiography — and his massive volume Essais (translated literally as "Attempts") contains, to this day, some of the most widely influential essays ever written. Montaigne had a direct influence on writers the world over, from William Shakespeare to Ralph Waldo Emerson, from Friedrich Nietzsche to Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
In his own time, Montaigne was admired more as a statesman than as an author. His tendency in his essays to diverge into anecdotes and personal ruminations was seen as a detriment rather than an innovation, and his stated motto that "I am myself the matter of my book" was viewed by contemporary writers as self-indulgent. In time, however, Montaigne would be recognized as expressing, perhaps better than any other author of his time, the doubts and thoughts of his age. Remarkably modern even to readers today, Montaigne's attempt to examine the world through the lens of the only thing he can depend on implicitly — his own judgment — makes him more accessible than any other author of the Renaissance. Much of modern literary non-fiction owes its genesis to Montaigne, and writers of all kinds continue to read Montaigne for his masterful balance of intellectual knowledge and personal story-telling.
