Did Women have a Renaissance
After reading Baldesar Castigilione’s The Book of the Courtier and Sir Phillip Sydney’s The Old Arcadia, the feeling of whether women had a Renaissance or not, did not seem relevant. Although some of the statements made against women were outrageous (i.e”…When a woman is born it is a defect or a mistake of nature (Castinglione 3.11)”, the stories and treatment of women is what would be expected in that period. It still happens today. Beauty seems to play a large role in what ‘makes’ a woman. In The Book of the Courtier, the importance of a woman’s looks is brought up on many occasions. Most notably is Magnificio Giuliano’s comment “…for truly that a woman lacks much who lacks beauty (3.4)”. A statement that bold shows that a woman’s worth theoretically can be determined in one glance. For an ugly woman could not possibly have anything to offer. The Old Arcadia refers countless times to the beauty of the princesses. The story itself is based on two princesses so beautiful; their looks inspired two princes to dress below their station to be near them. It is all because they are in love with the physical attributes of the women. The king in The Old Arcadia falls in love with the Amazon, who is actually a man. It was not until
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Mopsa Gaparo, Apollo Dorus, Magnifico Guiliano, Magnificio Giulianos, Messer Federico, Dametas Sydney, Cleophila Misos, Messer Frederico, Sydneys Arcadia, Messer Cesare, book courtier, beautiful women, perfect woman, beautiful women cruel, makes woman, fourteenth century, lacks lacks, woman lacks, lacks beauty, woman falls, woman lacks lacks, lacks lacks beauty, truths lies tell, castiglione 247,
Approximate Word count = 1885
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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