Montaigne

A politically turbulent period, the sixteenth century was the scene of new ideas, new customs, and artistic innovations. Into this historical context came Michele de Montaigne (1533-1592), who popularized the essay as a literary genre. The author of the Essays (1588) seems to have put all the tensions of his time into the heart of his work. Christophe Bardyn attempts in this biography to dust off the author and his image, which has been somewhat frozen in time, by exploring a masterpiece that has intimidated many a reader. He asserts that readers of the essays often dare not fully believe Montaignes true background, namely, that he was illegitimate (actually the son of a groom). In providing this study of Montaignes life, Bardyn has written a serious biography of an important French philosopher.

Year

2015

Language

French

Series

Grandes biographies

Publisher

Flammarion

Editions

1

Pages

543

ISBN

9782081251618

Data source: Wikidata