The Influence Of Montaigne On Shakespeare

Montaigne’s influence on Shakespeare

Essay as we know it today was pioneered by the French Renaissance writer Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592).

If the historians were to be believed, Michel de Montaigne’s ‘On Canibal’ had significant impact on Shakespeare. Shakespeare also used ‘On Canibal’ for writing The Tempest. Some of the Shakespeare’s work had elements of Michel de Montaigne multiple times. For e.g. the famous play Hamlet had mention of Michel de Montaigne’s work thrice.

John Florio was the first to publish Michel de Montaigne’s essay into English in 1603. John Florio also happened to be the teacher of Earl of Southampton. Since John Florio was teacher to patron of Shakespeare, probably this was the reason that Michel de Montaigne’s work had significant impact o Shakespeare’s work. In 1603, John Florio published Michel de Montaigne’s essays in three volumes. Montaigne had made it clear initially that he will keep himself as the subject of his essays. This was seen as his weakness by his colleagues who also led to the belief that Montaigne was eccentric. This is reflected into Hamlet in which the central character is describing him as being snarled. The character is doubtful of the world around him. No other work of Shakespeare has the central character speak so much about him.

Montaigne said that the way physical plague existed, similar mental plague also existed. This is seen in Shakespeare’s King Lear. Montaigne’s essay ‘Of Solitarinesse’ is said to have significant impact on Shakespeare’s work in King Lear. The character in King Lear is diametrically opposite to the character in ‘Of Solitarinesse’. This in itself says a lot about influence of Montaigne’s essays on Shakespeare’s work.

Some of the experts believe that Montaigne had significant impact on Shakespeare while many are of the opinion that Shakespeare’s work had no influence from Montaigne essays. Those who oppose the view say that similarities may be purely incidental. The discussion on influence of Montaigne’s essays on Shakespeare’s plays started in 1925 after George Coffin Taylor examined that four passages in Othello, seven passages in Antony and Cleopatra, twenty three in King Lear and fifty one in Hamlet had significant similarities from Montaigne’s essays.

So there are as many supporters of the view as many are the opponents of the view. But it cannot be ignored that the person who translated Montaigne’s essays into English was tutor of Shakespeare’s patron. Further, point blank use of ‘On Cannibals’ in ‘The Tempest’ makes on believe that Shakespeare had direct influence from Montaigne’s essays. Though it is not sited Shakespeare copied Montaigne’s essays but the evidences support that knowingly or unknowingly, Shakespeare’s work had inspirations from Montaigne’s essays.

Cited: 

McLean , Ralph . “ The Influence Of Montaigne On Shakespeare.” britaininprint . N.p., n.d. Web.