author
Marie Le Jars de Gournay
1565–1645
A fiercely independent voice of the French Renaissance, she is remembered both for preserving Montaigne’s work and for arguing, boldly and early, that women deserved education and intellectual respect. Her essays still feel strikingly modern in their defense of equality.
1 Audiobook
Egalité des hommes et des femmes : A la Reyne
by Marie Le Jars de Gournay
About the author
Born in Paris in 1565, Marie Le Jars de Gournay was a French writer, editor, and thinker who educated herself largely through reading. She became deeply attached to the work of Michel de Montaigne, and after meeting him she was later entrusted with helping preserve his legacy.
Gournay is best known for preparing important posthumous editions of Montaigne’s Essais, a role that made her a key figure in the history of French literature. She also wrote widely in her own right, including essays, translations, and reflections on language, morality, and society.
Today she is often celebrated as an early feminist voice. In works such as The Equality of Men and Women and The Ladies' Grievance, she argued that women should have access to education and should not be judged as naturally inferior to men. That combination of literary care, independence, and intellectual courage has kept her work alive long after her lifetime.