This lesson introduces you to Montaigne and his Essais. I hope that as you read, you will come to appreciate Montaigne's artful experimentation with writing, reflection, and self-expression. At the end of this lesson, you will have a chance to write a brief essay of your own and compare it in both content and style to one of Montaigne's essays.
After this lesson, you should be able to place Montaigne’s life and works into the humanistic tradition of his time. You will learn how Montaigne’s essays are at once autobiographical narratives and grand universal statements on humankind.