Michel de Montaigne was a 16th-century French author who developed the essay as a literary genre. His first two books of essays were published in 1580. Montaigne retreated to his castle and isolated himself from public life. He also began to write personal and subjective reflections on topics such as religion, education, friendship, love, and freedom. Montaigne called his original work ‘essais,’ which means “attempts” in French. He developed a new literary genre: the essay.
The First Essayist
Michel de Montaigne was a 16th-century French author who developed the essay as a literary genre. His first two books of essays were published in 1580. Montaigne retreated to his castle and isolated himself from public life. He also began to write personal and subjective reflections on topics such as religion, education, friendship, love, and…
1–2 minutes
Discover more from Mind on Fire Books
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Leave a Reply