Edit in JSFiddle

var MyView = Backbone.View.extend({
    initialize:function(){
        this.render() //just like calling myViewInstance.render();
    },
    render:function(){
        console.log('rendering view');
        console.log(this); //note this function is scope to the instance created
        return this;
    }
});

//create view, run initialize, have initialize call the render function
var myViewInstance = new MyView();