L’étranger chez Montaigne : rejet et attirance

The concept of étranger in Montaigne may come in two axis associated with the notions of rejection and attraction: on the one hand, the ideological and physical exile chosen, and, on the other, a foreign fascination linked to the desire for exploration. He feels himself strange in the middle of a tr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Maria Gloria Ríos Guardiola
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Association Portugaise d'Etudes Françaises 2014-05-01
Series:Carnets
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.openedition.org/carnets/1202
Description
Summary:The concept of étranger in Montaigne may come in two axis associated with the notions of rejection and attraction: on the one hand, the ideological and physical exile chosen, and, on the other, a foreign fascination linked to the desire for exploration. He feels himself strange in the middle of a troubled period. He considers the ideas that have provoked these conflicts odd, even grotesque. Therefore, his choice is not only to give up his public responsabilities and retire in the tower of his castle, but also to find out a shelter in the glorious past of the great civilizations, especially Roman and Greek ones, and in their languages, highly used in a huge amount of quotations from his essays. This position of rejection contrasts with his attraction towards the stranger, just for being different, unknown, even unrecognized. His desire to learn and explore the other takes himself to get into through the New World natives or to get into contact with other countries to be discovered.
ISSN:1646-7698