The Importance of Being Present: A Comparative Reading of Montaigne, Baudelaire, Canetti and Desnica

Even though they are different in many ways, Montaigne’s essay “Of Experience”, Baudelaire’s poem “The Clock”, Canetti’s play The Numbered, and Desnica’s novel The Springtimes of Ivan Galeb share a common trait. They all highlight the importance of now. This comparative study analyses various ways in which they depict the present time and demonstrate how the past and the future can disable mindful living in the present.