Humanities & Classics 1002
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Renaissance Forum
Humanities & Classics 1002 |
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In Reply to: PLEASE POST YOUR SECOND REQUIRED POSTING AS FOLLOWUPS TO THIS POST posted by Tom Bacig on January 13, 1999 at 21:59:54:
Alberti, Castiglione, and Machiavelli all had slightly different views on what characteristics made up the perfect Renaissance person.
Leon Battista Alberti, a Florentine humanist, followed the views of Pico, who saw individuals as free and perfectible. Alberti strongly believed that to achieve worldly success, one must work hard and receive a classical education. He also emphasized the fact that in order to become like the self-made Renaissance person with self-confidence and vitality, you must cultivate virtu. All of Alberti's views and beliefs are seen throughout his best known literary work, On the Family.
A mathematician, architect, engineer, musician, and playwright, Alberti proved that "man can do anything he wants."
The Book of Courtier, a treatise about Renaissance individualism has been called one of the most provacative analysis's ever written. It was penned by Baldassare Castiglione, an Italian diplomat between 1513 and 1518.
After many debates, Castiglione states that an ideal man would master all the skills of a medieval warrior and also have the physical strength of a champion athlete. Castiglione also agrees with Alberti that in order to be a cultured individual, one must complete a thorough education. But, he also disagreed with him in the issue of women. Castiglione believed, like not many others in his time, that women should also receive an education in order to understand and be knowledgeable about letters, music and art. Although he wanted women to be educated, in no way did he think they should be like a man. In their society, a woman was there primarily to entertain the male members of the court.
Alberti believed that man could do anything he wanted, especially if he worked hard at it, but Castiglione believed that man could not necessarily achieve perfection, yet everyone has the potential to reach that status.
Niccolo Machiavelli, a Forentine diplomat and statesman, wrote The Prince. This political treatise spoke about how Italy could acheive unity only under the supervision and leadership of a powerful and strong ruler. The Prince talked about how one may become and stay a strong political leader.
Machiavelli had strong beliefs on what characteristics one must have in order to attain a strong political stature. He says the ruler must be strong, ruthless, intelligent, and at times, if need be, cunning or violent, and most importantly, he must trust no one.
In The Prince, he says, "Moreover, in the actions of all men, and most of all princes, where there is no tribunal to which we can appeal, we look to results." I think that by this he means that the ruler should do whatever neccessary for the good of his people. Machiavelli believed that only a ruthless leader could maintain the good and survival of the state.
Alberti, believed that success came to those who practiced the laws of virtu, Castiglione thought that one could become well-rounded through hard work and education, and Machiavelli believed that in order to acheive a united state, one must have a courageous and strong leader. Together, their idea's modified and shaped humanistic tradition.