Book Of Courtier Essay

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Men are held in much higher regard in The Book of Courtier, according to Castiglione. When laying out the baselines for the ideal courtier, the two that stuck out to me were the need for knowledge, and grace. Due to the underwhelming expectations for women in the book, it would seem that a woman could not be seen as an ideal courtier as they are not expected to meet these qualities that Castiglione lays out. When Castiglione is outlining his idea of an ideal courtier, he mentions that they must “Have the ability and knowledge perfectly to serve them in every reasonable thing, winning from them favour, and praise from other men” (7). Knowledge seems to be a underlying quality in terms of an ideal courtier, and it almost seems assumed. Unfortunately, as women are not expected to be educated for more than communication, this is a vicious blow in terms of their availability to be considered an ideal courtier. As knowledge is the premise of an ideal courtier, even if a woman was to be educated enough to be an ideal courtier, it is …show more content…

It is noted that “I would have the courtier favored in this regard also, and endowed by nature not only with talent and beauty of person and feature, but with a certain grace and (as we say) air that shall make him at first sight pleasing and agreeable to all who see him” (23). The unfortunate fact of this is that many women would not be agreeable to many that they meet, simply due to their gender. As women are not expected to be educated, it is the simple truth that many would not take them seriously, or see them as agreeable. This goes directly against the qualifications of an ideal courtier, making women ineligible for the position. While it is certainly possible for women to achieve grace, and knowledge, The Book of Courtier makes it very well known that courtier’s must be seen as relatable and likable individuals at first

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