Montaigne's Essays

Author: Montaigne
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-03-01
Features: As a warrior and statesman, Montaigne's lifelong characteristic was his aversion to blind obedience and fanaticism. Montaigne can be called an epoch-making figure, yet he had a few weaknesses: he never completely freed himself from the control of certain emotions and etiquette. This fishmonger's grandson believed this to be the true gentlemanly demeanor. Montaigne was not an official writer; he wrote only for pleasure, which made his works deeply resonate with people. It is well known that people would never buy or circulate an "official" work—[American] Hendrik van Loon.
Montaigne's thought formed during the period of intellectual chaos brought about by the European Reformation, undoubtedly making him more sensitive to the diverse ideologies of that time.—[British] Martin Oliver.
This book explores the prose of natural expression, which becomes the most intimate genre of writing. When writing, one hardly needs to consider the exaggeration of words or style, nor does one need to guard against the concealment of the author's genuine emotions by literary flair. Authenticity becomes the fundamental characteristic of prose. Prose writing can best preserve and highlight the momentary feelings stirred and the original state of deep reflection, serving as the best choice for dialogue with others as well as with oneself, the best way to understand and reconstruct oneself. It "carries the Dao," meaning it is didactic but not preachy; it "expresses the will," meaning it is lyrical but not pretentious. Its optimal state is to integrate "carrying the Dao" and "expressing the will" into one. Simple writing excludes the least of artificial interference, and the essence of prose is authenticity. The highest purpose of prose art is simply to emphasize authenticity. Prose seeks beauty, and beauty is an accompanying element of authenticity. For this reason, prose has the most readers. There may be various reasons why some people rarely read poetry, others do not enjoy theater, and others do not read novels. Non-literary enthusiasts also read and write prose, not necessarily to demonstrate cultural sophistication, a wide range of interests, or a refined or vulgar spiritual realm. As a cultural phenomenon, prose is familiar to everyone, and people unconsciously become lovers of prose and "extracurricular" authors of prose—not necessarily intending to become prose writers, but with a certain confidence and need: I can and should write. Thus, compared to other literary genres, prose has the highest reading frequency, the widest and most enduring influence, and a powerful authorial force, driven by multiple cultural forces to continuously develop the art of prose.