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:
: What is thought to be the ideal Reniassance person has no solid definition. Every writer of the time had their own view of the characteristics necessisary to make up this person. In the next paragraphs I will discuss what Alberti and Castiglione had to say about the subject. There are many correlations but yet their views are still unique.
In reading Alberti's On the Family, I learned some very interesting things about Renaissance views. Alberti vehemently despised idleness and laziness. I think he would be really upset if he could see the way some people are today. His way of earning gain and praise is repelling idleness and laziness; oppose them as deadly enemies. He believes that there is no better way to gain dishonor and infamy than idleness. He also thinks if is the breeding place of vice and to be a good man you must hate it. Another of his ideas is that you are not living well if you don't care about honor or if you don't fear shame or aren't acting with prudence and intelligence. In his eyes a person is deemed unworthy of the life they are living if they do not give themselves wholy to the quest for praise and virtue.
In reading Castiglione's The Courtier, I found that he also had some very interesting ideals. He believes that the true profession of a courtier must be that of arms. It is the most honorable one. To those you serve you should be known as bold, energetic and faithful. To ensure your lasting reputation of these great qualities you must exercise them at all times. The way to recieve praise is to excell in this art. He believes that once you soil your good reputation there is no getting your honor back, your reputation is soiled forever. A person is supposed to have complete loyalty, an undaunted spirit, and always show these qualities.
In sum, Alberti's idea of the ideal Renaissance person is one who repells idleness and laziness and always has a purpose. Because these lead to dishonor and shame. To be living well you must act with prudence and intelligence, strive for honor and fear shame. You must always be giving yourself, body and soul, to the quest for praise and virtue. Castiglione's ideal Renaissance person is one of arms who is bold, energetic and faitful. You need a good reputation of these qualities and if soiled it will always be soiled. Care needs to be taken so this never happens. He also places much importance with earning praise. A person needs posess loyalty and undaunted spirit and never be afraid to show it and all of the other worthy qualities of and ideal Renaissance person.