About masks and dissimulation in Montaigne's Essays

Author(s)

Mateus Masiero

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas
• Defense date: 2015-01-07

Examining board members

Roberto Romano; Franklin Leopoldo e Silva; Alexandre Soares Carneiro

• Advisor: Roberto Romano

Abstract

The dissimulation¿s issue aroused special interest to Michel de Montaigne, as we can see in their Essays. Indeed, the French thinker devotes great attention to the fact that the so called civilized society is founded, to a large extent, in practices aimed at the secret and the imposture; or, to use the allegorical terms that Montaigne so appreciates, in constant use of masks by individuals who wish to take part in the "theatre of the world", as the philosopher refers to the social environment, with their offices and public functions. However, there is a clear distinction between two forms of employment the mask in the Montaignian thought: one morally licit, the other reprehensible; the first, necessary for social life, the second, deserving of harsh punishment. In this sense, Montaigne is in accordance with to a certain tradition of Renaissance moralists, which clearly distinguished "dissimulation" of "simulation". The object, therefore, of our study is to understand how the double moral valuation of mask proposed by the French thinker is tied to this mentioned tradition, pointing to what extent the concept of dissimulation developed by the latter influenced the author of the Essays (or were influenced by him). Also, we cannot disregard that, from the moral criticism undertaken against the society of his time, which was steeped under the bad dissimulation practices, the thought of Montaigne unfolds in a critique of the instituted rhetoric, as well as on the proposal for a new type of rhetoric to be adopted (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/12764-2 - Of the masks and dissimulation in Montaigne's essays
• Grantee: Mateus Masiero
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master