Lessons from Michel de Montaigne’s literary appreciation and criticism

It is only recently that people have started to regard literary, historical, and philosophical studies as worthless. Parents warn their children against humanities studies, and instead, try to steer them towards medicine, law, or computer science. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) was the living proof that, in prior centuries, people had regarded literature, history, and philosophy as highly practical. In the sixteenth century, students viewed those disciplines as sources of wisdom and personal effectiveness. They devoted themselves to studying philosophy and history in order to lead a better life. They expected tangible, practical benefits. Montaigne’s essays show us his dedication to those studies. For more than two decades, he delved into ancient books with the goal of absorbing their wisdom. He wanted to draw hands-on lessons and record them in writing for posterity. To the extent that they enable us to acquire wisdom, literary appreciation and criticism do constitute practical disciplines. I can only lament that today’s focus has shifted from wisdom to entertainment, from practicality to pretentiousness, and from cultural sophistication to manipulation. Montaigne was acutely aware of the need to use one’s time effectively. He abhorred pretentiousness and worthless details. When he studied biographies and historical anecdotes, his goal was to absorb tangible wisdom. The entertainment value of historical and literary studies is not playing a central role in Montaigne’s works. I compare him to an athlete, focused on his performance and indifferent to the rigours of daily training. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/lessons-from-michel-de-montaignes-literary-appreciation-and-criticism/