Write the explanation of the essay entitled "The Art Of The Essayist

Write the explanation of the essay entitled “The Art Of The Essayist”. (Part-1)

Ans.

Explanations

(1) The charm of Montaigne is the charm of personality-frankness, gusto, acute observation, lively acquaintance with men and manners. He is ashamed of recording nothing that interested him; and a certain discreet shamelessness must always be the characteristic of the essayist.

Reference to the Context: These lines are an extract from the essay. The Art of the Essayist’ written by A. C. Benson. Cicero had given to his readers the function both of the essayist and the preacher. In this way he satisfied the needs of falsely thoughtful readers with their common ethical problems related to their conduct and character.

Explanation: The great writer A. C. Benson, in these lines gives the example of Montaigne as the first and great essayist. He was a great and famous French essayis: who is regarded as the father of English essay. He belonged to the sixteenth century and he was known as the originator of the essay form. His period is 1533-92.

The writer further says that most of the modern essayists follow him in his footsteps. The writer also describes about his charm of his essays which is related to his personality as well as to his popular essay was his greatness to write his essays with the quality of much frankness to describe anything. He also had the quality of gusto with which he used to give a lot of enjoyment to his readers. His another quality was that he was a sharp observer of facts and figures with which he could draw a perfect picture of the subject which he is dealing.

The writer further says that Montaigne was fully familiar with the people around him as well as with their manners and behaviour. He used to describe them vividly with, the purpose of coming closer to his readers who regarded him as their friend. He was not ashamed of describing anything: which interested him. It should be noted that he did not hide his shamelessness which was the great quality of his essays which made him an ideal essayist.

(2) The Englishman’s home is his castle, says another proverb, But the essayist must not have a castle, or if he does, both the grounds and the living-rooms must be open to the inspection of the public.

Reference to the Context: These lines are an extract from the essay, “The Art of the Essayist written by A. C. Benson. The writer says that the English temperament is completely favourable to the development of the essayist.

Explanation: In the previous paragraph the writer had described Montaigne, the French essayist as the father of the essay. Now he says that English temperament is not proper to the art of essay writing because he is very prudent and mysterious while an essayist should be open-minded, friendly to his readers and a sharp observer of nature, men and manners.

The writer gives the example of a proverb which shows the introvert nature of the Englishman who regards his home as his castle because he does not like to mix up with all common persons. He lives in his house content thinking it as his ideal home. The writer says that an essayist must not live all alone, separate from the common people. He should meet them, talk to them and make them his friends. Only then he can write with the quality of frankness about his impression which is the need of a good essay.

The writer further says that an ideal essayist must not remain in his castle cut off from the common people. His castle must be fully open for all persons. He must go out to meet them and they should also come to meet him freely.

(3) He must be concerned with the pageant of life as it weaves itself with a moving tapestry of scenes and figures rather than with the aims and purposes of life. He must, in fact, be preoccupied with things as they appear rather than with their significance or their ethical example.

Reference to the Context: These lines are an extract from the essay. The Art of the Essayist’ written by A. C. Benson. The true essayist must not be like a famous banker, social reformer, the puritan, etc.

Explanation: The writer says that he should be concerned with what he has no concern. The essayist is attracted to the beautiful show of life which Nature has produced for all persons. He should learn to enjoy it for himself and after that make his readers also enjoy it through his essays.

The writer further says that such beautiful scene of life has been created by nature into the universe. It looks like a beautiful embroidery work which gives the experience and joy of life. There is no cause for sorrow and any suffering. The writer suggests certain things which make his essay delightful. The writer of essays does not take any interest in telling about the aims and purposes of life because it is the work of a philosopher. The essayist is an artist who is busy in observing beautiful things and he should not think about the importance of their moral value because he is chiefly concerned with the beauty of life. Ethics is not his aim of life because he does not preach anything.

(4) He must care more about the inconsistency of humanity than about its dignity: and he must study more what people actually do think about than what they ought to think about. He must not be ashamed of human weaknesses or shocked by them and still less disgusted by them; but at the same time he must keep in mind the flashes of fine idealism……

Reference to the Context: These lines are an extract from the essay, “The Art of the Essayist’ written by A. C. Benson. The essayist must have a great curiosity and some real interest.

Explanation: The view of the writer of essays shows several diversities because two things may not appear to be the same without any logical connection between them because one thing is quite different from the other. Such variety shows the beauty and dignity of human life. For example, there is beauty in the tree as a whole with its different parts like its branches, leaves and flowers, etc. In the same way, the essayist as an artist looks at the diversity of human life with its innermost beauty of life. Secondly he is much interested in men and manners, so he looks at their pattern to make them the subject of his essays. If he finds some weaknesses, he is not ashamed of them because it is the part of human nature. He treats them with sympathy and care. He writes his essays very carefully as a painter works with his brush to create delightful paintings. Though he is not a moralist to give his teachings on life, yet he describes some flashes of idealism in his essays to keep his readers on the right path.