Comparative Analysis of De Montaigne and Donne on Mind and Body

Both Michel De Montaigne and John Donne argue that the cultivation of the brainiac is linked to the easily being of the dead personate. Both argue that a heading void of proper(a) enrichment and pedagogics go out lead to an un sizable body. However, Montaigne argues that the appropriate means of precept and enrichment are studying and following the works of another(prenominal) great thinkers of history. Addition aloney, Montaigne declares visual sensation to be the impetus for the downfall of the body. Conversely, Donne argues that a soul groomed in conceit is the proper mode of finding bodily health. In their writings, twain Montaigne and Donne are seeking a unity between the mind and the body. By comparing Montaignes Essays and the poetry of Donne, it is evident that the means for unifying the mind and body can vary for different people.Montaignes general ism on the relationship between the mind and the physical health of the body is one that associates a healthy exist ence with a healthy mind. His desire of a healthy mind is that which is learned through the studies of the great thinkers of the past, and steered web of being taken control of by the omnipotent humor.In Montaignes essay On the Education of Children, Montaigne stresses the importance of education, except simply promotes a select few genres of education as appropriate. Montaigne links these few genres of education directly to the well being of the body. First, Montaigne declares that The mind that harbours philosophy should, by its soundness, conciliate the body sound also(pg.67). here(predicate) he argues that anyone who is soundly base in the philosophy of the great thinkers of history will provoke the wellness of body that they desire. He states that The most manifest sign of wisdom is a constant happiness its statealways serene(pg.67).Montaignes obvious foremost concern is that people be educated in the thinking of great thinkers. Secondly, Montaigne addresses the types of free thinking that are appropriate for a healthy mind and body. He argues that the free fantasy of a soul should be based in the musical theme of the great thinkers. Montaigne says if a soul embraces the opinions of Xenophon and Plato by his own reasoning, they will no longer be theirs, but his(pg.56). He encourages people to imbibe their great thinkers ways of g-forceght(pg.56). Montaignes argument is that free thinking not based in the thought of the great thinkers is simply uneducated freethinking, and thus is unhealthy for the mind and body.Finally, Montaignes essay On the Education of Children reveals Montaignes argument against the learning of futile friendship, or in other words. He says that most of the branches of hunchledge in current usage are valueless to us(pg.65) and that we must(prenominal)(prenominal) deposit the extent of our studies in those branches(pg.65). Montaignes apparent argument is that only a certain type of education, one based strongly in the thought of the great thinkers, is the type of education that will provide for not only a healthy body, but also a healthy mind.In Montaignes essay On the Power of the Imagination, Montaigne next argues against the perils of the visual sense. He declares that the visual sense, strange freethinking based in acceptable knowledge, leads directly to an unhealthy body. Montaigne offset printing attacks the sheer power of the imagination. Montaigne states regarding the imagination that E realone looks its impact, but slightly are knocked over by it(pg.36). He contends that the imagination is something that slowly begins to take over the mind of a person and drive them further from the appropriate lines of learning.He argues that the imagination leads to the harm of the body. His first claim on this is that bad thoughts, such as having bodily failures (Montaigne uses the example of impotence), are spawned from the imagination. He declares that the comical impediments which so b lockade our society that they talk of nothing else are most likely caused by apprehensions and fears(pg.39). These apprehensions and fears are brought on, Montaigne argues, by an imagination that controls the mind and body.Montaigne even goes as out-of-the-way(prenominal) as to call imagination the culprit for many people locomote ill, as he says that the reason some people become sore is that their imaginations concoct how bad they could feel, and their bodies simple follow suit. He states that the mind must generally be prepared in advance.(pg.41) in effect for the body to feel a certain way. Montaignes whole argument in the essay reflects his distaste for the cultivation of a mind through imagination and his idea that imagination leads to an unhealthy mind and consequently, an unhealthy body.John Donnes general viewpoint on the relationship between the mind and the health of the body differs greatly from Montaignes. Donnes theory is simply that the path to a healthy body is a n imagination. He claims that the imagination is the machine responsible for creating the ideas that flip the body feel good. As for education, he argues that the highest forms of education are not from history books or philosophers, but from the deeper and more imaginative forms.In Donnes poems The Canonization and The Will, Donne presents the argument that there is a knowledge to be want that is much deeper and truer than any book knowledge. In The Canonization, Donne boldly states that earthly knowledge and materialistic cultivation of the mind is far below the education of the mind through dear. He saysFor Godsake hold your tongue and let me loveWith riches your state, your minde with Arts improve,Take you a course, get you a broadcast,Observe his honour, or his graceContemplate, what you will approve,So you will let me love(pg.28).Here Donne states that to him the ultimate knowledge is that of love and that he would choose this before all other earthly types of knowledge. D onne argues that love can teach all inevitable knowledge in life. He continues this argument in his poem The Will, in which he discusses all of the knowledge that love has imparted on him. He statesThou, Love, hast taught meeThat I should discover to none, but such, as had too much beforeOnely to give such as have an incapacatieOnely to give to those that count my gifts indignity(pg.60).Donne reveals hear some of the lessons that love has taught to him. Donnes obvious argument is that the knowledge that is held in a book cannot be paralleled to that which can be learned through the higher(prenominal) ways of learning such as love.In Donnes poems The Flea and The Dreame Donne lets his imagination go and argues that the imagination can be used in value to achieve a healthy and happy mind and body. First, in The Flea, Donne sets up a very imaginative metaphor as he uses a flea to act as the means of uniting him with his fair sex. He tells his woman that in this flea, our ii consa nguinitys mingled bee(pg.48) and continues to say that This flea is you and I(pg.48). This very use of the flea stretches the imagination to a great extent, as it places a seemingly bothersome insect into the place of tying together two people through its pitch.It is evident wherefore that Donnes support for the imaginative went as far as placing it into the love poems he wrote to try to produce his woman. Donnes belief in imagination was wholehearted. As for relating this use of the imagination to the well being of the body, Donne addresses this as well. Donnes imaginatively crafted metaphor is also a well-planned out scheme to seduce his woman. In other words, Donne uses the imagination to help make his body feel better by seducing and sleeping with his woman. His argument to his woman is that since the flea has drawn blood from each of them and the two have already exchanged the most peculiar(a) of bonds, that sleeping together would not be anything wrong. He tells herThou kn owst that this cannot be saidA sinne, nor losse of maidenhead,And pamperd swells with one blood made of two,And this, alas, is more than we would doe(pg.48).Here we see Donne putting into exercise his argument that the imagination can be used in order to get the body what it desires. In his poem The Dreame, Donne parallels his dreaming, or imagination, to the very woman of whom he is dreaming in the poem. During the poem, Donne dreams of a great sexual fantasie with his woman, and short enough, she walks into the bedroom to find him dreaming. However, Donnes dream is not interrupted, but preferably it continues with her entrance. He saysTherefore thou wakdst me wisely yetMy Dreame thou brokst not, but continuedst it,Thou art so truth, that thoughts of thee suffice,To make dreames truths and fables historiesEnter these armes, for since thou thoughtst it best,Not to dreame all my dreame, lets act the rest(pg.45).Donnes apparent argument is then one that declares imagination to be t he forerunner to reality. He argues that if a person does not first imagine how a certain circumstance will result, then they will certainly not have the merriment of knowing what circumstances may follow. In other words, Donne believes the imagination to be a passageway from mental health and pleasure to bodily health and pleasure.Montaigne and Donne are two people seeking the akin result a unity between the mind and body. Both take their compelling philosophies into their writing and present convincing arguments in order to forge their theories. Each of the two agree that the body and the mind are related, and additionally that the imagination is a powerful controller of both the mind and body.However, the two disagree in their sentiments towards what types of learning and creativity create a healthy mind and body. Each of the two present their respective theories in very coercive arguments, and yet very disparate arguments. However, the two may have more ecumenically simila r qualities when brought into modern society. Perhaps the greater message imparted upon the ref by the two authors is that the unity between the mind and the body is rig through different means for different people. Each person must seek out their own form of mental cultivation that will help them to achieve both a healthy mind and a healthy body.