On Montaigne's Essay "XVII. That to study philosophy is to learn to die"
"Cicero says that 'to study philosophy is nothing but to prepare one's self to die.'" So begins Michel de Montaigne's twenty-seventh essay, in which he attempts to train his mind to overcome fear of death. Ignoring death, decides Montaigne, doesn't work -- first of all, death is impossible to ignore, because it surrounds us; secondly, if one ignores death, it is all the more devastating when it appears. Let us then try the opposite: thinking constantly of death. Constant awareness of death causes the mind to numb to its horror; what is more, it prompts one to order one's affairs in anticipation of death, so that when death arrives, nothing is left undone. Montaigne believes that he has found his solution:
"For my part, I am, thanks be to God, at this instant in such a condition, that I am ready to dislodge, whenever it shall please Him, without regret for anything whatsoever. I disengage myself throughout from all worldly relations; my leave is soon taken of all but myself. Never did any one prepare to bid adieu to the world more absolutely and unreservedly, and to shake hands with all manner of interest in it, than I expect to do."
But if Montaigne were indeed so reconciled to death, he would be able to let the matter rest. He belies his professed comfort by listing many other reasons that death is harmless -- far from being fearless, he is still trying to convince himself not to fear. Death cannot be so bad, he says; like birth, it is merely a transition from one world to another; the worth of a life is not measured by its length; death is natural; death and life are equally pleasing; nothing is known about the afterlife, so it should not be feared, etc. At the very end, he realizes that he is still uncertain: exasperated, he concludes with the sentence, "Happy is the death that leaves us no leisure to prepare things for all this foppery."
Montaigne's posited solution is not a solution -- not for him and not for anyone. Choosing to be constantly aware of and prepared for death is equivalent to choosing to die. Fear is only present when there is time for anticipation; this method removes fear of death by bringing death about immediately. Montaigne has disconnected himself from the world of the living: connection implies the willingness to begin new business -- business that would be left unfinished if death should occur. When Montaigne tells himself that life and death are equally desirable, he unwittingly exposes the flaw in his solution. In order not to mind death, or the end of life, one may not allow oneself to love life. What is the worth of freedom from fear if one cannot enjoy that freedom by living life and loving it?
Despite his emphasis elsewhere on moderation, here Montaigne misses the mark. Ignoring death is no solution -- but neither is thinking of it constantly. Ignoring death, or believing that life is indefinite, causes complacency and wasted time. But obsession with death can halt personal growth: superstition and a desire to be prepared for death may preclude goal-setting. Ignoring death can lead to extreme, dangerous risks; obsession with death can prevent healthy risks. Perhaps it is better to find a middle ground: to be aware enough of death to be cautious and not waste one's years, but not to be so aware that it becomes impossible to hope for the future and love the present. Fear is frustration surrounding the necessarily fruitless attempt to avoid the sadness associated with death. Perhaps if one accepts that death is tragedy and focuses on loving life while one is alive, then fear will disappear.
I don't agree with Montaigne's conclusions, but I love his essay--perhaps because I don't agree with his conclusions. The essay is not a stale, preconceived idea splayed upon the paper. It is a written record of an emotional journey -- a timeless, ageless path that we all are walking.
No comments:
Post a Comment