In Our Time Montaigne
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Apr 25, 2013 
In this engaging discussion, Terence Cave, David Wootton, and Felicity Green explore the life and works of Michel de Montaigne, a Renaissance thinker renowned for his introspective essays. They delve into Montaigne's unique writing style and his skepticism towards knowledge and cultural norms. The guests highlight his influences from figures like Plutarch and Seneca and examine his thoughts on identity, death, and societal progress. They also discuss his preference for pleasure over rigid morals, concluding with a light-hearted note on Montaigne's fondness for wine.
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Classics Shaped His Moral Focus
- Montaigne favoured Plutarch and Seneca for their detached, dip-in styles and ethical focus on inner contentment over external success.
- He also drew from Lucretius on contingency and peace of mind as a life aim.
Legal Work Trained His Doubting Eye
- Montaigne's legal work as conseiller exposed him to conflicting documents and trained him to see multiple sides of issues.
- That practice informed his essays' habit of weighing perspectives rather than asserting certainties.
Retirement To A Tower Library
- At 38 Montaigne retired to his chateau tower to pursue leisure and study amid a large library of classical texts.
- He set up a private room and recorded his flowing thoughts as a 'record' of his mind's monsters.
