Shakspere and Montaigne An Endeavour to Explain the Tendency of 'Hamlet' from Allusions in Contemporary Works

"Shakspere and Montaigne" by Jacob Feis is an exploration into the mind of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" by comparing the play to the philosophical writings of Michel Montaigne around the time the play was written. The book looks at how Shakespeare might have used ideas from Montaigne to build the themes and reasons behind what happens in "Hamlet". Feis begins by looking at the time when "Hamlet" was written, showing how politics, religion, and even disagreements with other playwrights like Ben Jonson could have affected Shakespeare's work. Feis suggests "Hamlet" is Shakespeare's response to the time period by using Montaigne’s controversial views on being an individual and having personal beliefs. By looking at the play, the author hopes to show how "Hamlet" reflects the deep thoughts and arguments happening in the world of literature and philosophy during that time.