Michel de Montaigne and Bertolt Brecht Works Review Essay

Introduction

Different sources are available for understanding European history, and they explore historical, political, and geographical background of the nation with the help of events. Many historical studies have attempted to know about the social and political conditions which prevailed in Europe during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Along with the studies of historians many literatures published during that time also provide a clear picture of the historical incidents which occurred in this period. Brecht and Michel de Montaigne are two important figures acknowledged as capable of narrating historical events of that time. Sixteenth century is considered as the period of both intellectual and geographical expansions. One of the major ideological issues in that period is that there was a problem of acceptance the structure of belief, pattern of behavior, rules and regulations of the society other than one’s own. A number of writers have overlooked the world of ideological crisis between Catholics and Protestants and they were not ready to face the ferocious seriousness. However, some writers show their commitment through their works including Montaigne and Brecht.

Essay Body

Montaigne’s historical study evaluates each and every minute detail of the social, cultural and political life of this period. As it was a period that marked changes in the religious belief of people, the study of this age assumes importance. The metaphysical conceits of the different writers of the time had a great influence in the religious belief of the people and the same affected their social life. Various historical plays of Brecht portray temporal power possessed by kings and others.

Michel de Montaigne was a French renaissance writer. He was a spokesman of anti-conformist tradition. People considered him more as a statesman than as a writer. He wrote many essays. At his time in Europe, there was a high degree of religious conflict. He tries to reflect on the concept of scepticism through his essays. When analyzing the his essays like A World of Words, Of Cannibals, and On Solitariness it can be seen that he reveals his reactions against Dogmatism, and his skepticism towards religious orthodoxies in fifteenth century. Montaigne’s essays reflect not only a particular region but also an entire universe. In his essay, Montaigne introduces his servant with appropriate explanations. Here the writer shows his responsibility to tear the mask of 15the century people. In another part of his essay Montaigne analyses the history of native Brazilians and leads his reader into the world of new information. The following statement underlines the fact that Montaigne was a minute observer of history. The author remarks, “They have a kind of wood so hard that, riving and cleaving the same, they make blades, swords, and gridirons to broil their meat with.” (The sixteenth century, 2009, para. 13).

The given statement explores valuable information about the life of the native people in Brazil. Towards the end of the essay he tries to compare the culture of the natives and his own. Here one can see the nobility of a writer through Montaigne’s essays.

Bertolt Brecht was famous as a poet, dramatist and theatre director. Brecht showed the renaissance history through his drama. He is a materialist writer. Brecht’s plays and essays help to understand the culture and political status of Europe in his period. He showed attachment to the workers and the concept of Marxism in his life and in his writings. Religious war between Romans and Protestants in Europe became a serious historical event in 15^th and 16^th century Europe. Their anger against the emperors was at its peak and they expressed their disgust by hurling the royal officials to the pavement through the window. Gradually this religious war spread to other parts of Europe and it caused permanent transformation in European social situation and political views. In many Bertolt Brecht’s dramas, he picks up this thirty year war and its consequences as the central theme. For example in his play Mother Courage and Her Children, he tries to express his emotions against the war. It is considered as greatest anti-war play of any time. This drama tells the story of a mother who lost her children and everything due to the religious war. (Brecht, & Bentley, 1991).

Compared to Brecht, Montaigne showed better understanding about the history of Europe in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century. It was a calamitous time in European narration. Montaigne lived in this age. In this period religious belief in Europe was passing through a great change. Conflicts in the religious and civil community led to the partition of Christian society. Few writers consciously skip from this topic. But Montaigne considers this in all its seriousness and he spoke about this topic through his writings. He highlighted the contemporary culture that existed in Europe at that time based on spirit of criticism. Montaigne’s opinion has a close relationship with this social context.

He tries to mention almost all major incidents which took place in Europe in that period through his essays. By his essay ‘On the Cannibals’ he reflects on some major debates which existed in Europe like Republic of letters. American Indians were a newly discovered race at that time. They faced a lot of problems. Through his essay he critically dwelt on such issues. Montaigne’s essay invites the reader to understand wider issues related to man which helps to get a clear picture of the life style and culture of people living in that age and the different social and political problems associated with them.

Brecht gives the picture of late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries through his plays. A dramatist has some limitations and as a dramatist Brecht could not break the chains of poetic license. Even his play Mother Courage and Her Children is an excellent piece of literature which explores different aspects of social, religious, and political life of 15^th and 16 the century Europe. He tries to express his ideas through the drama but the readers may or may not understand things as he tried to convey. But Montaigne gives the picture of this age mainly through essays. To a certain extent he succeeded in his attempt. Here he straight tells the reader what really happened or what were the incidents that took place in that period. In some sections he tried to criticize the calamities which happened then. It helps the reader to get a clear idea about the culture, social and political condition exists in that period. If one analyzes the works of Brecht, one can see that Brecht has tried to watch the world through the event of war.

Different publishers published different editions of Montaigne’s writings. It includes diplomatic editions, critical editions and modernized editions. A person who reads these different editions will get a clear picture of the history of 16^th and 17^th century. He is a great thinker and a philosopher. This fact is reflected in his writings also. In this period major issue in European history is religious conflict. He describes about this through his essays. For example “The longest of his essays, Apology for Raymond Sebond contains his famous motto, “What do I know?” ” (Encyclopedia, 2005).

Through his writings he tried to show the social, political and cultural life in his century. He adopts a structured style and a stream of thought which helps to easily move from one topic to another. He argues about things with the support of quotes.

He supports humanism through his writings. He explained about cultural relativism, morality and relational effect on various cultures etc. through his writings. He wrote against the concept of conquest of the new world. While concluding one can see that Montague’s writings are the better source for understanding the history of lath 16^th and early 17^th centuries.

Conclusion

Both Brecht and Montaigne give a true narration about the European history of late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Both of them have made a serious and minute observation on the various aspects of the social, religious and political life of the Europe. But Montaigne gives more relevant information about that period than Brecht. His writing style is the major reason for that.

References

Brecht, B., & Bentley, E. (1991). Mother courage and her children: A chronicle of the thirty years’ war: Back cover. Grove Press. Web.

Encyclopedia: Michael de Montaigne: Essays. (2005). NationMaster.com. Web.

The sixteenth century: Topics: Michel de Montaigne, from Of Cannibals. (2009). The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Web.