Gullivers Travels

Men and women in the Renaissance

In the Renaissance there were many different types of men and women. There was the ideal man, the courtier, and the working class peasants. Although there were many other types of men, the personalities of these man were the most prominent during the renaissance. These types of men have very different types of personalities, the courtier being the more educated and sophisticated one, and then the peasants the less educated harder working class man. Although the times for women were getting better women were still looked upon as inferior to man no matter what class they were if noble or peasants.

In the Renaissance period, the ideal man was the courtier. He was very knowledgeable in everything he did. He was strong and athletic and knew all of the sports, but he also had an appreciation for art. He knew about all of the exercises and forms of martial arts. He knew how to use all the types of the various weapons. He was able to use the weapons while standing or on horseback, and knew what type of weapon was needed to fight with in each different situation. He was very well educated, and knew how to read Greek and Latin. He liked to play instruments and was very good at it. At dances, he was always on the dance floor and was an experienced dancer. The courtier was completely loyal to the king, and liked him very much. The renaissance courtier had a confidence about him, but was not overconfident so that he came across as cocky. He didn't walk around the village and gloat about all of his accomplishments, but everyone still knew what he could do. He was very smart, but never bragged about the things he was capable of doing. He made everything look effortlessly, but secretly he had to practice very strenuously to accomplish each skill he had mastered. Basically, there was nothing the courtier could not do. The renaissance courtier was a good friend to all the people and he got along with just about everyone. He stood up for other people and never put anyone down, or made them feel bad about themselves. He would not talk about other people behind their backs. He did good deeds and didn't ask for anything in return. He knew when to express himself, and when he should keep to himself. He was also serious, but he knew how to take a joke, because of this, he was respected by noblemen and countrymen. During the time of the renaissance courtier, the working class did all the hard work, so basically, the nobles were able to concentrate on being perfect in sports and being as educated as they possibly could. Life in the castle was full of petty challenges, continuous education, and a constant search for something to do. Because of the renaissance, people made time to appreciate the arts, unlike the countrymen who toiled from dawn to dusk, the courtier filled his day with classes, discussions, paintings, and sports. Unlike those who worried about making a living, the courtier was focused on appreciating the arts and humanities by traveling, observing, and educating himself. The renaissance had a big effect on the courtier. There was another very important thing that the courtier was able to do, and that was to woo women. The courtier was very good at writing poetry, and enjoyed writing it. The courtier was supposed to respect women and do everything possible to make her comfortable and out of harms way. The courtier was the man in the renaissance who was flawless and, was well educated, and respected everyone and their belongings. The courtier was perfect.

The life of the average peasant during the renaissance period was difficult, it consisted of a lot of hard work, and labor, but it also allowed them a certain amount of freedom. Many peasants still worked for a landlord, but they were in a much better position than the feudal serfs, who were bound to the land and its owner. The Black Plague of the fourteenth century wiped out so much of the population that peasants' work was more valued than it was in previous years, their food was getting better, and some peasants even had their own land, and grow some crops to sell and some for themselves. People that came from other parts of Europe noticed that the lower classes in England lived a lot better of a lifestyle than the peasants that lived in their part of Europe. In most cases peasants were not literate and could not read or write. Some peasants were able to write their name, but that was a few majorities. The only exposure they may have had to literature might have been someone reciting poetry on the streets, which was still rare