Montaigne's Essays and the emergence of individual self-exploration

Changing Ideas of Identity and Self

The sixteenth through eighteenth centuries marked a period of changing attitudes and ideas. Ideas about one's identify and a sense of self were perhaps the most obvious ideals to find new meaning during this time period. By examining several period works, it is possible to track these changing attitudes. This essay will examine three works of the time and will use comparison and contrast to track these changing attitudes.

Montaigne and 16th Century Identity

The first work that will be examined is Essays, by Montaigne. This work was published for the first time in 1580. These essays were originally called Les Essais in French. In these essays, Montaigne discusses every aspect of human life imaginable. These works contain personal observations, as well as cultural and historical references from Montaigne's perspective. Montaigne speaks in first person, providing his readers a glimpse into his personal feelings and attitudes. In doing so, Montaigne provides the reader with a rare view of the attitudes that prevailed during his time.

Montaigne refers to himself as the subject of the book. Essays is about Montaigne's self-identity. Montaigne feels that every man is representative of the race. He states, "Each man bears the entire form of man's estate." In such, Montaigne's representation of self represents society's attitudes as well. He speaks about continual change in society and the ability to evolve.

What we can learn from Montaigne about definitions of identity and self in sixteenth century France are Montaigne rambles on about how the writing reflects his freedom to express himself. The focus of the work in on self-exploration and the need to experience some type or personal fulfilment from life. This unbounded sense of self-exploration breaks the chains of the Renaissance, where freedom of expression could be punishable by death or imprisonment. Not so fat into Montaigne's's past, the type of freedom of expression found in Essays could have meant severe punishment.

Such unbounded expression of self and concern with one's identity could be viewed as a type of rebellious casting aside of the ideals that shaped the latter Middle Ages. Montaigne makes it clear that he has the freedom to explore who he is inside, without fear of what others might think. This contrasts with the ideals of the previous century, where such minds had to be careful not to threaten the powers that be.

The Inquisition imposed a hierarchical sense of order onto society. Many may have wanted to indulge in self-expression, but they could not for fear of their lives. The Inquisition mandates that one's sense of identity and self began with their duties to the state and those that were in power. Montaignes's Essays is a direct challenge to the idea that one's image of self had to include one's duty to the ruling class and one's proper place in society. It was the beginning of an era marked by exploration and breaking free from oppression.

Developing a More Refined Self

As we have seen, a sense of self-identity changed dramatically over a three hundred year time. It went from the extreme abolition of the Inquisition to a period of unbounded self-expression in the 16th Century. By the 18th century much of the raucous self-expression and self indulgence was beginning to give way to a more refined and ordered society. As such, there were new rules for expression of self.

During the 18th Century, the idea of self was tied closely to the society around the person. It was no longer acceptable to indulge in self-expression for the sake of self-expression, as in Montaigne's time. One's sense of self was limited by political and religious ideals of the time. Montaigne expressed his true feelings without regard to the impact that they would have on others. If others were offended, he demonstrated little concern. By the time of Steele and Addison, this was not acceptable and was considered bad form. One had to consider the feelings of others before speaking.

If one were to classify the change in ideas about self and self-identity, it could be viewed through the lens of the viewpoint of the person. During Montaigne's time, one's sense of self and self-identity stems from within. The pursuit of self-fulfillment and pleasure drove one's sense of identity. As time progressed towards the 18th Century, this focus turned to an external source of identity. One gained their sense of self in part from their sense of personal fulfillment, but also from how they felt that they were viewed by others in society.

The person of the 18th Century was still in pursuit of personal happiness and self-fulfillment, but was willing to sacrifice this if it were necessary for the greater good of society. In the 18th Century, one had to be conscious of the impression that they were making. They had to repress their true feelings if they wished to remain accepted by society. They had to learn to balance when to express their true feelings and when to express them. The person of the 18th Century was in a constant struggle to balance their own true feelings and how others might see them if they expressed what was really on the inside.

An exploration of Montaigne, Steel, and Addison gives the reader three different extremes in viewpoint. Montaigne could be considered the most liberal of the three, with his love of total self-indulgence. Steel was a realist and viewed the society for what it was, a tapestry of people with different purposes and viewpoints. Steel saw a changing society and let the reader know them through the Spectator's colorful descriptions and interactions with them. Addison could be considered the juxtaposition of Montaigne. His rejected and criticized Montaigne's self-indulgence. He stressed the need to be concerned for others and to temper one's self-expression so that it more closely resembled an ordered society.

Reading these three authors gives the reader a feeling for the changes in society that dictated a sense of identity and self from the 16th to 18th Centuries. Society went through some radical changes during this time that can be characterized by the ability and acceptability of indulging in self-expression. During the 16th century, one was free to express themself in almost any way possible. By the 18th Century, one had to temper what they had to say so that it fit within society's rules.

The rebellious self-indulgence of the 16th century was confined to within certain limits by the 18th century. As time progressed, even these limits were tightened and society dictated more of what a persons was allowed to think or do. These changes can be traced through the ideas expressed by writers of the time. Montaigne may have been shocking to those around him, but one could see evidence of his ideas in those around him. Religious radicals broke away, sailed to America so that they would be free to express themselves.

By the 18th Century, society had reestablished religious and political dominance and order was once again restored to the individual. The individual had a new set of rules and expectations. They were no longer free to express ideas that were considered radical. The 18th Century is marked by a lack of self-expression and could be considered an age of conformity. However, that was not to say that conformity extended to the inner soul, one had to more careful about self-expression. They had learned to censor their ideals and only present those that would make them appear in a good light.