French Literature Reviews - 2026
T. Kubota, Montaigne Reader of Augustine's City of God
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Takeshi Kubota, Montaigne lecteur de la Cité de Dieu d’Augustin,
Honoré Champion, collection "Bibliothèque littéraire de la Renaissance", 2019.
EAN13 : 9782745350220.
392 p. — 58 EUR
This book explores the influence of Saint Augustine on the writing and thought of the Essays, while shedding light on Montaigne's originality in interpreting and adapting the City of God.
The numerous Renaissance editions of the City of God stemmed from varied interpretations of Augustine's work, and it was notably the commentaries of Juan Luis Vives on the City of God that helped stimulate the composition of the Essays. Certain moral concepts in Montaigne, such as his theory of the passions, his views on suicide, and his notion of happiness, echo Augustinian anthropology. Furthermore, Montaigne aligns with Augustinian theology in his critique of rationalism and his emphasis on the primacy of Christian faith.
By taking into account the historical, cultural, and ideological contexts of the Renaissance, this study demonstrates not only the importance of Saint Augustine in the shaping of the Essays, but also Montaigne's innovative role in the reception history of the City of God at the end of the 16th century.
Takeshi Kubota teaches French language and literature at Aoyama Gakuin University (Tokyo). He is a specialist in 16th-century French literature.
The Essays of Michel de Montaigne emerge from the rich intellectual landscape of sixteenth-century France, a period marked by intense engagement with patristic literature and classical antiquity. Within this milieu, the reception of Saint Augustine's theological and philosophical writings underwent significant shifts, shaped by humanist scholarship and religious controversy. Commentators and moralists continually reinterpreted Augustinian texts to address contemporary debates concerning faith, reason, and human agency, establishing a tradition of commentary that deeply informed early modern French prose and the evolution of humanist thought.
Takeshi Kubota examines how Montaigne engages with Augustinian anthropology and theology, highlighting connections between Augustine's thought and the moral concepts found in the Essays. The volume considers sixteenth-century editions and commentaries, including the work of Juan Luis Vives, to contextualize Montaigne's interpretations. Readers interested in Renaissance literature, the reception of classical and patristic texts, or the intellectual background of early modern French writing may find this study relevant to their inquiries.