The structure of Michel de Montaigne’s essays

Nowadays, writers privilege structure above all. Before they write down the first word, they want to know precisely where they are going. They want to select in advance their destination and all the stops along the way. For writing his essays, Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) embraced a different approach; he managed to supply structure and pace to his works without doing lots of advance planning. I find Montaigne’s approach worth studying because of its vast potential. It can teach us not only how to structure our essays, but also how to think on our feet when we have limited inputs, limited knowledge, and limited time. Let me employ an example to explain how Montaigne was able to give structure to his essays with very little preparation in advance. I call Montaigne’s manner of writing “spontaneous structure.” Montaigne’s essay “On physiognomy” provides a first-class illustration of spontaneous structure. Instead of delineating one integrated argument, Montaigne starts with an anecdote, quote, or statement he endorses, and then builds on it by attacking it, defending it, and confronting it with his own experience. In this way, he creates a spontaneous structure that can grow organically. The result is similar to a conversation between two friends. Arguments are confronted with counter-arguments and facts are weighed against other facts. When Montaigne feels inspired by the arguments, anecdotes and quotes, he can go on for dozens of pages; he is not worried by the fact that some subjects are more suitable than others for lively discussion. He will simply take as much as a subject can give, and then move on to the next. Montaigne’s essay “On physiognomy” starts with a forceful premise, one that was close to Montaigne’s heart. He wanted to demonstrate his belief that, when it comes to success, hard work and determination play a larger role than luck. Good looks constitute the ultimate present from fortune. It’s a present that beneficiaries receive for free when they are born. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/the-structure-of-michel-de-montaignes-essays/