THE COURTIER

Hum111 Assignment 2 Project: Ladies and Gentleman

Hum111 Assignment 2 Project: Ladies and Gentleman

Introduction

The Book of the Courtier written by Baldesar Castiglione (in 1513-18), was published in the year 1528. It is present in the form of a dialogue in four books, and is set at the court of Urbino in 1507: while the Duke Guidobaldo was ill in her room, the Duchess Elizabeth and Mrs. Emilia Pio drive a mundane conversation in which all the most famous people who then attended Urbino Ludovico da Canossa, Ottaviano and Federigo Fregoso, Giuliano de 'Medici, Cesare Gonzaga, Bernard Dovizi Bibbiena, Pietro Bembo and others (Bernardo, 1984).

1) Characteristics of a well-rounded person according to “The Courtier”

Castiglione was interested in defining the rules for how gentlemen should behave. The Courtier consists of a series of dialogues, in which the speakers describe the ideal gentleman: nobly born, skilled in military arts, sports, and dancing, well-educated in classical and modern languages, music and painting, and gracious in conversation (Encarta Encyclopaedia, 1995). However, with all these skills he does everything with certain nonchalance. These gentlemen have to possess talents and skills that need to differentiate them from ordinary men and create distinctive traits in them. Moreover, in this book, it is also laid down that these men belong to noble families and their birth is noble and extra-ordinary. Thus it is their natural instinct and quality to be born naturally great and superior (See excerpt 1 in appendix).

These persons are well-identifiable among a crowd and their personality speaks of itself. However, whether or not these qualities should be tied to their success in society is still a question to be raised. Castiglione uses the term “sprezzatura” - the cultivated ability to "display artful artlessness". The purpose of courtiers is to serve a prince and tell him the truth, but in The Courtier they do not seem to do anything but chatter, well aware of the tension between the ideal and the real (See appendix for excerpt 1 from book's literature).

There is “NO” perfect man for a man is one who is sure what he wants, which does not boast, he is true to himself and with others, accepting the consequences of his acts and faces as it should be, which is responsible in all respects (Jennifer, 2001 ). A man is one with which the whole family can always count on, one who is willing to be in good and bad moods, remains unshattered or does not loose hope, and obviously not forgetting the gallantry that although many step and fashion, no woman can resist the romance, praise, whether the affection is very important, both good departed not?

2) Survey and Poll

Our survey is based on the following questions:

Is it necessary for a person to have specific talents or abilities in order to be considered a “gentleman” or “lady”?

Yes No

Is it necessary for a person to be born “great” or of a superior family background, to be a gentleman?

Yes No

Does a gentleman have to possess ...