Summary On Repentance Essays

SUMMARY “On Repentance” Montaigne begins this chapter by stating that his project is concerned with portraying the entire man. He says that he is the first author concerned with himself not simply in one facet of his life, but in the whole. He says that in this case, it is not possible to separate the author from the work, so one’s opinion of his work is his or her opinion of him. He next begins his discussion of conscience and repentance. After saying that he rarely repents and is comfortable with his own conscience, he says that each person’s vice troubles that person and his virtue makes him feel good. In addition, one’s opinion of himself and his own actions is worth infinitely more than that of someone else. One’s conscience is most clear in how one acts in his home, where no one can see him because when no one can see them, people are more likely to give in to their habitual vices. Men are creatures of habit and are quite prone to relapse into habitual things that they have given up. Often when men repent, their repentance is not complete. Montaigne tells the story of a peasant he met who in his youth saw more profit in becoming a thief than in working. In his old age, he was able to live comfortably. His repentance was to steadily pay back the descendants of those from whom he stole and to pass on this duty to his own descendants. He saw the wrong in his actions, but it was not enough to make him live in poverty to pay back those he wronged. Montaigne then talks about regret in decision making. He says that he rarely regrets his decisions, and that the outcome being bad does not necessarily mean that the decision was regrettable. He also says that he rarely gives advice or considers that of others. He likes to be completely self-reliant and not involved in the affairs of others. Montaigne closes by discussing old age. He says that true repentance is not the lessening of one’s desires for vice in old age. He says that one must be tempted and resist to truly repent. He also says that while in old age one loses many vices, they are replaced with what he feels are even worse ones. “On Experience” Montaigne begins by discussing knowledge and law. The most basic yearning is for knowledge. There are so many diverse things in the world that there could never be enough laws to cover them all, and much is still up to interpretation. Montaigne believes that in interpreting laws, language becomes so convoluted so as to become useless. He then says that in his society there is so much useless interpretation. There are commentaries on books and commentaries on the commentaries and the material becomes more confusing each time. He finds that laws often do not favor the just or innocent. He also says that he would leave any place whose laws would prohibit his freedom. Montaigne then discusses learning. He says that when one finds he is wrong about something he thought he knew, he learns more about knowing that he is often wrong than about the actual fact he was corrected on. Montaigne says he often finds that those who most strongly assert their opinions are usually those who are most often wrong in them. He feels that it is necessary for people to hear criticism. He could never be below any person or king because he would not be able to keep himself from criticizing that person when it was necessary. Montaigne then begins his discussion on experience. He says that men should be students of the maladies that affect their own bodies and would really not need doctors if they did. Doctors often disappoint him because they cannot truly fix sicknesses they have not had. Montaigne then discusses how the different customs of certain countries and classes are quite odd to others but make sense to those who practice them. He does not believe that they are all that different. Each person’s actions are a result of his experiences. He then discusses the many habitual things he must do each day. He champions the importance of following one’s habits and says that make a man stop such things for health reasons actually hurts more than helps him. He then moves on to illness and ailments. He says that one must accept these as a necessary part of life. One must have balance in his life and illnesses balance out times of good health. Even if illnesses bring impending death, it is good that a man of old age should be thinking about his death. Montaigne discusses how the pain of his kidney stone is balanced with the great feeling of joy he gets after passing one. He also says that his malady is a nice one to have because it does not prohibit him from doing things. It may make it difficult because of the pain, but as long as one can endure the pain, he can live a normal life. Montaigne does not believe in medicine for his kidney stones but simply letting them pass. He also does not believe in trying to predict when the come because he feels adding that fear does not make him gain in any way. He says that no matter what his illness does to him physically, his mind remains healthy. Montaigne’s thoughts begin to reflect his acceptance of death as not far. He talks of the way his father raised him and says that men should always personally see to raising their sons. He discusses his habits and his desires in old age. He talks about his eating and drinking habits and his habits of dress in the summer and winter. He discusses the pleasures he appreciates in life despite their lack of importance. He feels it is important to enjoy the moment at hand. If he is walking in an orchard, he may think of other things, but he also appreciates the beauty of the orchard. He praises moderation in life and the happiness it brings him. Montaigne says that he is not sad or mad that death is coming to him. He says that one can only be like this if one has truly enjoyed life, which he has. He says that he appreciates philosophy that applies directly to human life and champions the enjoyment of the experiences of human life. He closes by saying that the best life is one of moderation that is still greatly enjoyed. THEMES The importance of exploring oneself – Every topic Montaigne discusses is in relation to him. Each is important in how it affects his life. In a book of essays on many different diverse topics, Montaigne remains very committed to the rational importance of things in human lives. Experience and human rationality are far more important than any philosophy. The importance of experience – Montaigne discusses many customs of other lands that people in his own land find strange. However, he also relates how his own customs would seem odd to them. He says that each custom is not so different but that experience and one’s own life are of chief importance in how one views things in the world.