The Complete Essays The Complete Essays

Publisher Description

Michel de Montaigne was one of the most influential figures of the Renaissance, singlehandedly responsible for popularising the essay as a literary form. This Penguin Classics edition of The Complete Essays is translated from the French and edited with an introduction and notes by M.A. Screech.

In 1572 Montaigne retired to his estates in order to devote himself to leisure, reading and reflection. There he wrote his constantly expanding 'assays', inspired by the ideas he found in books contained in his library and from his own experience. He discusses subjects as diverse as war-horses and cannibals, poetry and politics, sex and religion, love and friendship, ecstasy and experience. But, above all, Montaigne studied himself as a way of drawing out his own inner nature and that of men and women in general. The Essays are among the most idiosyncratic and personal works in all literature and provide an engaging insight into a wise Renaissance mind, continuing to give pleasure and enlightenment to modern readers.

With its extensive introduction and notes, M.A. Screech's edition of Montaigne is widely regarded as the most distinguished of recent times.

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1586) studied law and spent a number of years working as a counsellor before devoting his life to reading, writing and reflection.

If you enjoyed The Complete Essays, you might like Francois Rabelais's Gargantua and Pantagruel, also available in Penguin Classics.

'Screech's fine version ... must surely serve as the definitive English Montaigne'
A.C. Grayling, Financial Times

'A superb edition'
Nicholas Wollaston, Observer

GENRE
Fiction & Literature
RELEASED
2004
March 25
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
1,008
Pages
PUBLISHER
Penguin Books Ltd
SELLER
Penguin Books Limited
SIZE
5.3
MB
Shakespeare's Montaigne Shakespeare's Montaigne
2014
The Collected Works of Cicero The Collected Works of Cicero
2015
The Consolation of Philosophy The Consolation of Philosophy
2003
The Collected Works of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche The Collected Works of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
2015
An essay on the study of literature: Written originally in French, by Edward Gibbon, Jun. Esq; Now first translated into English. An essay on the study of literature: Written originally in French, by Edward Gibbon, Jun. Esq; Now first translated into English.
1764
The Rambler.: [pt.6] The Rambler.: [pt.6]
1752
Essays of Montaigne Essays of Montaigne
2024
The Essays The Essays
2019
Essais Essais
2013
Essays of Montaigne Essays of Montaigne
2017
Essays of Montaigne Essays of Montaigne
2015
An Apology for Raymond Sebond An Apology for Raymond Sebond
2006
The Birth of Tragedy and The Case of Wagner The Birth of Tragedy and The Case of Wagner
1967
Faust, Part I Faust, Part I
2005
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
2004
A Treatise of Human Nature A Treatise of Human Nature
2004
Of The Social Contract and Other Political Writings Of The Social Contract and Other Political Writings
2012
Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings
2003