2/05/13

http://teachers.saschina.org/dbister/files/2012/05/Renaissance.jpg

     The Renaissance was another great time period(around 1450-1600) of the early modern world. One of the topics I will discuss is what Castiglione means by the word sprezzatura in The Courtier. According the Castiglione,
     "To do his feates with a slight, as though they were rather naturally in him, than learned with studye: and use a Reckelesness [sprezzatura] to cover art, without minding greatly what he hath in hand, to a mans seeminge."
     At first when I looked at this, I had no clue of what to think about it. It seemed like a bunch of words that were misspelled and just completely thrown together all wrong, but really look at the sentence. It gives you the definition that he was trying to get across. I believe that he makes the word sprezzatura mean that the courtiers must be without many flaws. The must not be too proud. They must not be a quick talker or someone who doesn't know how to hold their tongue. Many men who have loose tongues are reckless, which is the main definitions that he has given.

Bill Gates
http://www.microsoft.com/global/en-us/news/
PublishingImages/bod/billg/gates_print.jpg

     From The Courtier we get a clear look at what they called a "Renaissance man." In my opinion, a "Renaissance man" is a man or woman who is very active in the society, has much knowledge, and has many different skills. I believe that an example of a "Renaissance man" in our time is a man who has helped to make America what it is today, without his contributions the world would be different. This man is Bill Gates. I believe that he is the best candidate for being a "Renaissance man" because of the achievements that he has helped the world achieve. One of the founders of the internet, he has helped program computers and technology into everyone's home and workplace. He is very knowledgeable and I have never heard of him doing anything reckless. This is why I believe he is the best candidate.

                        Sir Thomas Wyatt              
http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/wyattholbein.jpg

     The second part of this post will be about Sir Thomas Wyatt's two poems. I believe that his poems are both talking about the court of Henry VIII and about the queen, Anne Boleyn. The first poem, Whoso List to Hunt, I Know where is an Hind, talks about his love for her.  How he will never be able to have her because she was the wife of his king, Henry VIII. The second poem, Who list his Wealth and Ease Retain, is talking about how he is in prison watching his love, Boleyn, being put to death by her husband for adultery with, assuming, Wyatt.
     We learn that life in the king's court is a hard life, because one must watch what is said because the king could have you killed for anything. The literal meaning of Noli me tangere means not to touch. In my opinion, he is saying what she probably told him. She was the king's wife and therefore couldn't have relations with Wyatt. In the second poem, he says the line Circa regna tonat over and over. The literal meaning is "it sounds through the realm"(http://sutros.com/songs/15090). I believe that it means something about him hearing the sounds of her execution while in the prison. He cannot escape the sound of her death and it haunts him.