The Book of the Courtier Book One - Essay Example

Baldassare Castiglione in The Book of the Courtier provides, in book one, a list of several qualities, talents, and other concepts that the idea Renaissance courtier needed to be familiar with. Castiglione had basically written a handbook to help others at court achieve success. In the first book, the reader is presented with several concepts of what made a man the perfect Renaissance courtier. While all of these arguments are quite sound, perhaps the most efficient arguments are based on education. Education was the focus during the Renaissance for the ideal courtier, and education was seen as a respectable hobby, as it allowed one to succeed better in entertainment and conversation, two very important concepts at court. Since education was able to assist the courtier so dramatically, it clearly becomes the most important concept. Thus, the following will discuss the concept of the ideal courtier, and why education was the most important part of the ideal courtier's role. Who was the Renaissance courtier He was the ideal man who was knowledgeable in all that he did. In appearance, he was muscular and athletic, and therefore fond of sports, but at the same time, he also had a fervent understanding of the arts. An ideal courtier should be accomplished in all of the proper hobbies and skills. He needed to be familiar with weapons and weaponry, and he knew how to fight in different fighting situations; these included on horseback, and on ground. The ideal courtier was also very well educated, and knew how to read both Greek and Latin, as well as a technical language. The ideal courtier also had to be musically inclined, playing instruments for his own enjoyment as well as for the enjoyment of others. All of these talents he should practice with a passion privately, but in public, he needed to make his talents appear as if they were performed effortlessly. It appears, then, that most of the skills one would require of the ideal courtier would be skills he or she would need to learn through education. This is why education was such an important part of the courtier's life. In order to be able to understand war, music, and different languages, the courtier was expected to practice-which was a form of education in itself. Education, therefore, emerges as of primary importance, as it is able to improve upon many of the concepts required of the ideal courtier. Aside from these talents, the ideal courtier also had to have qualities behind his personality. One of the prime qualities a courtier had to have was loyalty; he must be loyal to his or her prince. He also had to be distinguished but not a braggart; his accomplishments were something he should never mention highly, although he should always appear confident. He should always make sure he was kind to all at court or not at court, in an effort to make sure he could be friends with almost anyone. To be an ideal courtier, one must always be willing to help out one's friends, without asking for anything in return. He also needed to know when to speak up in a conversation, and when he should remain silent. These qualities are certainly in desire for any ideal man at any time in the world. While these personality qualities are not based on the foundation of education, it can be argued that one could be educated about them in order to make himself an ideal courtier. If one were to succeed at court, one would want to know all of the correct ways of etiquette, and this, in itself, can be learned through education. A good education emerges again as the solid foundation for the courtier's skills and talents. All of these talents and qualities allowed the courtier to be respected by his noblemen and countrymen. During this time period, it must be recalled, all of the working classes did the labor, while the nobles had the free time to focus on perfecting their bodies and minds. For the nobles, living in the castles promised ever-increasing education as well as the desire to amuse oneself at every term. Since the nobles were no longer inclined to work in their fields, they had the time to appreciate the arts and dabble in the further education of their minds. Therefore, there was a stark contrast between the courtier and the working class; the courtier usually had a slow-paced day, and was looking to fill his time, while the working classes had to work from sunrise to sunset in the fields. Thus, the courtier did not need to worry about money, for he already had it. Therefore, his primary concerns should be with the arts and humanities, as well as his overall education. Courtiers could learn more by both reading books, and through travel and observation. This was the first time in history where the concept of multi-talent was respected in individuals, especially courtiers. Prior to this time, most individuals were focused on knowing one aspect of trade, and that was their livelihood. However, the courtier brought a whole new concept to the world, and this concept focused on art, humanities, and education. Being able to converse about the arts and humanities made a courtier entertaining, and people were always looking for amusement at court. Therefore, having the foundational education to discuss such items made a courtier a popular individual. Again, education emerges as a key to success, simply because so much of the ideal courtier's talents and expectations revolve around the concept of being well-educated. Therefore, while several of the qualities discussed in Book One are important and also recounted here, by examining them, one can see that these qualities all have one solid foundation: a good education. Therefore, education is the most important item that a courtier could desire to have. Everything else was an offshoot of a good education. A courtier that was well educated was able to achieve a lot at court, and education became the key to his overall success. Read More