Undergraduate Course: Montaigne and the Late Renaissance (HIST10370)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The French writer Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) is one of the most original and influential of all early modern authors, and certainly one of the most enjoyable to read. This course combines in-depth study of this fascinating and idiosyncratic thinker with a broader enquiry into the intellectual culture of the late Renaissance. |
| Course description |
Known for his conversational style, his eye for revealing anecdote, and his insight into the human condition, Montaigne drew on his reading of the classics and his experience of contemporary intellectual, political, and religious upheavals to craft a philosophy that was at once deeply personal and indelibly shaped by the cultural habits and preoccupations of his age. His only published work, the Essays (meaning 'attempts', 'trials', or 'soundings') documents his thoughts on a vast array of subjects, from sadness to conversation, cannibals, prayers, books, and thumbs. Each week, select chapters from the Essays will be paired with short texts by Montaigne's contemporaries, to allow for comparison, contrast, and context. Montaigne's reflections on topics such as the recently discovered New World, knowledge, doubt, peace of mind, melancholy, witchcraft, toleration, sexuality and the self will all be examined in the context of contemporary preoccupations and debates.
Content note: The study of History inevitably involves the study of difficult topics that we encourage students to approach in a respectful, scholarly, and sensitive manner. Nevertheless, we remain conscious that some students may wish to prepare themselves for the discussion of difficult topics. In particular, the course organiser has outlined that the following topics may be discussed in this course, whether in class or through required or recommended primary and secondary sources: sexual violence, cannibalism, torture. While this list indicates sensitive topics students are likely to encounter, it is not exhaustive because course organisers cannot entirely predict the directions discussions may take in tutorials or seminars, or through the wider reading that students may conduct for the course.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Introduction to Historiography (HIST08044)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | A pass or passes in 40 credits of first-level historical courses or equivalent and a pass or passes in 40 credits of second-level historical courses, including HIST08044 Introduction to Historiography, or equivalent.
Students should only be enrolled on this course with approval from the History Honours Programme Administrator.
Some reading knowledge of French is desirable, but not required. |
| Additional Costs | Students encouraged to purchase a paperback edition of Montaigne's Essays, the main primary source studied in this course, £20 new or 2nd hand copy, |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students must have 3 History courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. Enrolments for this course are managed by the CAHSS Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department. All enquiries to enrol must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
40 %,
Coursework
40 %,
Practical Exam
20 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework:
3,000 word essay (40%)
Non-Written Skills:
Presentation (10%)
Class participation (10%)
Exam:
2-hour exam (40%) |
| Feedback |
Students will receive written feedback on their coursework, and will have the opportunity to discuss that feedback further with the Course Organiser during their published office hours or by appointment. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate a critical understanding of key themes in Montaigne's thought, and of the contexts shaping his work;
- read, analyse and reflect critically upon relevant scholarship;
- understand, evaluate and utilise a variety of primary source material;
- develop and sustain scholarly arguments in oral and written form, by formulating appropriate questions and utilising relevant evidence;
- demonstrate independence of mind and initiative; intellectual integrity and maturity; an ability to evaluate the work of others, including peers.
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Reading List
Set text: Montaigne, The Complete Essays, trans. M. A. Screech (London: Penguin, 1991),
Bakewell, Sarah, How to Live, or, A Life of Montaigne in one question and twenty attempts at an answer (London: Chatto & Windus, 2010).
Burke, Peter, Montaigne (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1981); reprinted as Renaissance Thinkers (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993).
Cave, Terence, How to Read Montaigne (London: Granta, 2007). |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
This course will help students develop a range of transferable skills, including:
- the ability to manage one's time effectively, work to deadlines, and perform effectively under pressure;
- the ability to gather, sift, organise and evaluate large quantities of textual evidence;
- the ability to marshal argument in both written and oral form;
- the ability to work independently and as part of a pair or larger group. |
| Keywords | Montaigne |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Felicity Green
Tel: (0131 6)51 3856
Email: Felicity.Green@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Annabel Samson
Tel: (0131 6)50 3783
Email: Annabel.Stobie@ed.ac.uk |
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