Montaigne-Shakespeare: Biographical and Editorial Crossroads

This symposium explored the relation between the biography of these major authors and editorial questions. In what ways—if any—did the lives of Shakespeare and Montaigne determine or shape their editorial projects? How did personal experiences—educational, political, and so forth—influence their writing and publishing? Should modern scholars take into consideration biographical elements in editing these authors? Essentially, what are the crossroads between the life and works of Renaissance authors?

Sponsored by the University of Chicago and organized by Philippe Desan and Richard Strier, both of the University of Chicago.

Session 1

The Limits of a Biography: the Case of Montaigne
Philippe Desan, University of Chicago

Intentions and Values in Montaigne and Shakespeare
Richard Strier, University of Chicago

The Essays of Montaigne: the Noble Book of a Gentleman
Jean Balsamo, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne

Session 2

Source, Parallel or Comparison? Montaigne and Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Richard II
Peter Mack, University of Warwick (now at Warburg Institute)

From Amateur Gentleman to Gentleman Amateur: Montaigne
George Hoffmann, University of Michigan

Shame and Reflection in Shakespeare and Montaigne
Lars Engle, University of Tulsa

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