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.
Works Cited
Addison, Joseph. "The Spectator No. 476." 1712. Quotidiana. Ed. Patrick Madden. 12 Mar 2007. http://essays.quotidiana.org/addison/spectator_no_476/. Accessed June 2, 2008.
Addison, Joseph. "The Spectator No. 562." Google Books. http://books.google.com/books?id=loE0AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=+the+Spectator+no.+562&source=gbs_similarbooks_r&cad=2_1#PPA214,M1.
Montaigne, (2005) Saggi ii, Milano, Adelphi, pp. 1543-1544.
Montaigne. The Complete Essays of Montaigne. Donald M. Frame (trans). Stanford University Press. 1958.
Montaigne, (2005) Saggi ii, Milano, Adelphi, pp. 1543-1544.
The Complete Essays of Montaigne, pp. 610-611.
The Spectator, no. 476.
The Spectator, no. 562.
