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:
In the mid 1990's (I'm not sure on the exact year), a movie starring Danny Devito was released. It's title was:"Renaissace Man." The plot went something like this: Am advertising executive loses his job and files for unemployment. He
gets a job teaching English to a small group of soldiers in boot camp. He teaches the soldiers to appreciate Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Not bad for his first time teaching! Was the character portrayed by Devito a true Renaissance Man? I wonder how he would measure up to Renaissance views of a true Renaissance man?
A Renaissance man, in the eyes of Leon Battista Alberti, is a man who is skilled and educated in many areas. Alberti, a Renaissance man himself, was skilled in areas such as mathematics, architecture, engineering, music and writing. Therefore he would be practicaly an expert on defining a Renaissance man. Alberti thought it should be the father's duty to make sure their sons got a good education. One thing Alberti abhored, was idleness. He could not imagine a man who would not want to use all of his ablities; it is dishonorable. "There is nothing that gives rise to dishonor and infamy as much as idleness." Alberti also thought that making money is not to be scorned. A profit is a compensation for a person's labors. He also says that money should not be kept for one's own wealth, but used to gain prestige. "Riches are useful for gaining friends and praise, for with them we can help those in need." All in all, Alberti calls for an education so that people will not be idle, be happy and know how to handle money.
Baldassare Castiglione wrote a book on the qualifications of a Renaissance man and woman. He gives the image of a well-rounded person or l'umo universale. A man must be a skilled warrior and an athlete. He must also know the languages of Latin and Greek along with his own native language. He must speak well, play a musical instrument, write well, draw and compose lyrics. Above all, the gentleman must do all of this with style and grace. A Renaissance man must be ready to fight only to protect his honor. For a Renaissance woman, she must be skilled in many things, yet not like a man. She should have a softness and tenderness about her. Castiglione says a woman should be "...naturally graceful in all her doings." She should have some amount of beauty, and should have "knowledge of letters, music, painting, and to know how to dance and make merry." For the "requirements" of a Renaissance person, an education is required. Just as Alberti wrote, an education is required for every person.
Niccolo Machiavelli has different views on what a Renaissance person should be. In his book "The Prince," he writes on what a prince ought to be. After reading Castiglione's "Courtier," one would think that above all a price should be a great Renaissance person. Machiavelli doesn't think so. He list several characteristics of a prince and goes on to say that it is impossible for one person to be able to do everything. It would be greatly praised if a prince was skilled in a variety of areas, but Machiavelli says it cannot be done. "...but since it is impossible for him to do posses or constantly practise them all, the conditions of human nature not allowing it..." Obviously, a prince must be educated to run his country, that agrees with Alberti's writing. Machiavelli and Castiglione disagree about human nature. Castiglione says that a man or woman should be able to do as many things as they can find time for, while Machiavelli thought that no one man could do it all.
So, was Devito's character a true Renaissance man? He might have to work a litte to measure up to Renaissance views, but for this day in age where time is precious, he just might qualify. If you have seen the movie, you know that the main character has some knowledge of music, writing, literature, athletics (at the end of the movie) and most importantly he delivers everything with style and charisma.