Montaigne: Selected Essays

Montaigne hates liars but admits that the self-portrait in his essays is sometimes exaggerated, perhaps out of conceit. Is he a liar, too? Explain why or why not.

Imagine that you are riding on horseback through the woods in southwestern France during the late 1500s and your party is waylaid by bandits. Recalling how Montaigne escaped a similar situation, how might you replicate his words and demeanor so as to be set free?

Death looms large in many of Montaigne’s essays, since he believes that contemplation of our ultimate fate frees us from undo worry. Is he right, or is his idea too gloomy for a healthy mind? Explain.

Describe Montaigne’s ideal of friendship, then argue for a different way of being friends that might be equally worthwhile.

Montaigne believes a child should be educated not with rote learning of the arts and sciences but with real-world experiences and the nurturing of the child’s unique interests. How might today’s schools adopt these principles? Give examples.

Is it better to trust one’s instincts or to follow experts’ advice? Defend your conclusion.

A certain amount of solitude is beneficial, argues Montaigne. Is he right, or do we always need human company? Explain why or why not.

List three ways in which the so-called “barbarians” in the essay “Cannibals” are wiser than the Europeans.