COUNT BALDASSARE CASTIGLIONE AND SIR THOMAS ELYOT: PATRONS OÍ CURRICULUM THEORY

Abstract

Few people know that European education has been influenced by two major books, that were written during the Renaissance, then, when the Old World and the New World were still meeting and overlapping. So, the study analysis of the forces that have shaped and produced these two books: Il Cortegione, by Count Baldassare Castilione and The Governor, by Sir Thomas Elyot is welcome. Curriculum theory, present in these two books, has the merit to promote a 'holistic view of human naturè and to make us aware that the cognitive, affective and psycho-motor dimension of human being are interwoven.

Headnote

Abstract: Few people know that European education has been influenced by two major books, that were written during the Renaissance, then, when the Old World and the New World were still meeting and overlapping. So, the study analysis of the forces that have shaped and produced these two books: Il Cortegione, by Count Baldassare Castilione and The Governor, by Sir Thomas Elyot is welcome.

Curriculum theory, present in these two books, has the merit to promote a 'holistic view of human naturè and to make us aware that the cognitive, affective and psycho-motor dimension of human being are interwoven.

Keywords: honnête homme, gentle-man, sprezzatura, fine art, courtier, aesthetic individualism.

If curriculum theory is to become a distinctive field of inquiry, then clearly it must build more fully on its historical antecedents. Like most subfields in education, curriculum has been markedly a historical. Both Kliebard1 and Cremin2 have underscored this serious shortcoming. As a historian himself, Cremin calls for philosophers of education to return to their "historic responsibility" of considering fundamental questions of value, belief, and loyalty,3 And, he assumes this will be undertaken in a historical context. Demonstrating what might be termed the foundations of early curriculum theory, this study of the contributions of Count Baldassare Castiglione and Sir Thomas Elyot is a modest beginning to some of the larger tasks that lie ahead in the field.

Few studies of life in the Renaissance have explored in depth that period from the perspective of curriculum theory. When one thinks of the Renaissance, thoughts of aristocratic pagentry, the courts, a thirst for new learning, humanism and the development of the individual come to mind. The Renaissance was, indeed, a time when the revival of ancient learning was accompanied by new discoveries in the social and natural sciences, discoveries which would transform the social structures as well as influence the educational system.

Basic to the perspective from which Í propose to view these changes and their implications for curriculum is the concept of the Universal Man "homo universale," "honnête homme," the Renaissance gentleman. A conspicuous example of such desired perfection was the courtier. Both Castiglione and Elyot developed basic ideas about the "ideal curriculum" for educating such an individual.

Immortalized by Count Baldassare Castiglione in Il Cortegiano (published in 1528), this man of letters and war became the ideal. Translated into Spanish by Boscan (1534), into French by Colin (1537), and into English by Hoby (1570), the book dominated European culture throughout the 16th century. In the Scholemaster (1570) Roger Ascham praises Il Cortegiano by saying, "To join learning with comely exercises Conte Baldesar Castiglione in his book Cortegiano doth trewely teach; which book advisedly read and diligently followed but one year at home in England would do a young gentleman more good, I wisse, than three years travel abroad in Italy. "

Although their literary traditions differed, both Castiglione and Elyot translated their ideas about education into what, today, might be called curriculum designs. Il Cortegiano is the very model of a "courtesy book," a writing which describes the mental, physical, and moral qualities of an ideal gentleman. Sir Thomas Elyot's Boke named the Governour (published in 1531) falls within the "speculum principis," or prince's mirror tradition a treatise which offers guidance for the ruler. (Other outstanding examples of the prince's mirror are: Xenophon's Cyropaedia, Isocrates' oration to Nicocles, The Policraticus (1159) of John of Salisbury, St. Thomas Aquinas' De regimine principus (c. 1265), Erasmus' Education of a Christian Prince (1516), and II Principe (1532) of Niccolo Machiavelli.) Since the governor is expected to be a gentleman, the prince's mirror stresses matters concerning the art of ruling. With Elyot's overly-ambitious aims of trying to portray the man fit to govern the ideal English state and of applying his own extensive learning to the improvement of the English language, The Governour becomes an atypical prince's mirror. Its looseness of structure gives it characteristics of both kinds of works.

Castiglione and Elyot concerned themselves with one of the most basic curriculum problems: What should a learned man know? In facing this problem, they also confronted two persistent issues: (1) the relationship between personal goals; i. e., the emerging concept of individuality, and the goals of society; and the shiftin class structure which made obsolete the educational practices of the ruling class. As one reads contemporary proposals for curriculum change, these issues continue to emerge; hence, the value of understanding their historical antecedents is crucial.

One further issue merits attention as we examine these historical antecedents namely, the relationship between the cognitive, the affective, and the psychomotor domains of learning. Some observers now admit that the recent tendency to divide these domains logically into three distinctive taxonomies may well have "set back" the study of education. In the education of the ideal Renaissance man, no such separation was made. In effect, a holistic view of human nature and learning was taken. One important aspect of this view was the emphasis placed on "physical deportment." At no other time has physical grace and movement been so highly prized as an outcome of the curriculum. Understanding the role of dance in the educational systems of these two writers will be a major point of emphasis in this study.

For Count Castiglione's class, the luxuries of life were its first necessities. Courtly life at Urbino was for a small and antiquated class which the new age of commerce was rapidly outmoding. The courts derived their conservative code from the earlier age of chivalry, "and though they had morally and materially lost their reason for being, they were in the process of discovering another." 1 Castiglione wrote of a class which "was the residue in Italy of a feudal aristocracy," where loyalty and honor were prized by all. Roeder, the Renaissance historian, emphasizes the fact that although many of its original functions had changed and diminished, this class still had the habit of "service" and the feudal tradition of loyalty.

Its roots lay in an abolished world and its traditional employments - military, diplomatic, ecclesiastical - had deteriorated with the rise of the new mercantile civilization of the Renaissance, Warfare had become mercenary, diplomacy an honourable form of eavesdropping, and a career in the Church purely secular; the services which such occupation required were formal» Living on its estates or at the Courts of princes, this aristocracy was economically a parasite, while politically it played an inconsequential part in the national life. Its function was ornamental; its activity had expired with the age that produced it; but something still survived that was indestructible and that lent it vitality the habit of service; and it clung with conservative tenacity to the feudal tradition of loyalty.2

But, Roeder asks, loyalty to what? Though one could argue the courts had outlived their utility in practical life, they still rendered a moral and ornamental service to society. The courts gave the rising middle class a sense of hope and security. They modeled a way of life proper for a cultured person. Patronizing the "new learning," the courts fulfilled the functions of a leisure class. They cultivated the luxurious values of life, and above all, the courts retrieved the "decay" of religion by transforming morals into manners.

The "current" was right for a book of conduct such as II Cortegiano, and more than creating such a culture, Castiglione immortalized one. In the form of a symposium, members and guests of the Court of Urbino defined the different traits of the true courtier's character. The imaginary conversations occurred on four successive evenings and are supposed to have taken place in 1506.

What was the nature of this courtier the finished product of "curriculum proposals?" Castiglione describes this ideal person as one who lives life as a "fine art. "The perfect courtier was well versed in the "humane letters," and more than competent in various physical activities: dancing, riding, swimming, fencing. Avoiding all forms of affection, he engaged in the finer aspects of life. He was an accomplished musician, poet, and painter, and knew the appropriate forms of witticism. The courtier embodied "grace" in all his activities, "and was regarded by the civilization of that age as its choicest flower."1

Castiglione asserts the courtier's ultimate goal is "honor," "which is the true reward of worthy effort;" and the chief profession of the courtier is that of arms. Such a man of "letters and war" is depicted in a painting of the first Duke of Urbino, Federigo Montefeltro, Federigo, a highly cultivated and intelligent man, was considered one of the greatest generals of his day. In his portrait, painted by Justus of Ghent, he is dressed in full armour. Federigo is seen in his library reading one of his precious manuscripts. A helmet at his feet suggests readiness for battle.

With the concept, "courtier," developed also "aesthetic individualism," one's self-stylization. The "aesthetic individualist," by stylizing himself, by self-formation, satisfied his desire to assert himself withing society. The courtier was tied to his class and needed society in order to display his virtues. With the medieval overtones of loyalty, the universal man sought universal approval. For this approval, the courtier sought to please.

This ideal further sustained the highly regarded status of nobility, for the courtier (and all the aspiring bourgeoisie hoping to be thought of as cultivated) "sought to please" the court and its members. The courtier's loyalty was to his queen and king.

With so many aspiring the courtier ideal, it was asked in the dialogue form of II Cortegiano, can anyone become a Courtier? Is noble birth the first and indispensible condition for the designation "good courtier"? All actions of the courtier were characterized by grace: grace of tongue, grace of movement. Was this prerequisite virtue of a courtier learned or a "giftof God?"

After extended arguments for and against, the issue was resolved by stating that noble birth was not mandatory, though "certainly helpful."2 This position firmly established the importance of social class in the context in which curriculum proposals such as Castiglione's were made. But paramount was the "grace and beauty of countenance," and the dialogue which characterized much of the book itself raises the question of what discipline or what method might be used to help individuals achieve such grace. 3 The response to this question emphasizes the great importance of dance as a means of acquiring grace.

An adequate knowledge of dance was called to the attention of the courtier by the dancing masters. These itinerant professional dance instructors were important in translating educational goals into practice:

Dance was daily cultivated and practiced by the nobility of the Renaissance according to the neo-Platonic belief that the harmonious movements of the body, together with music's sweet sounds, symbolized on earth the celestial harmony of the universe.4

Along with this metaphysical justification of dancing, social conventions were such that a gentleman was expected to dance. In Orchesography (1589), Arbeau encourages his pupil, Capriol, to develop such skills as a prelude to courtship with the opposite sex. And in keeping with the courts' ornamental function in society, one must know how to dance since, "Kings and princes are wont to command performances of dancing and masquerades to salute, entertain and give joyous greetings to foreign nobles."1 Dancing provided a salvation for the sons of the rising merchant classes. The ideals of the courtier were within their grasp since one's physical deportment and grace could be refined through dance instruction.

Dancing also offered a public forum for the "aesthetic individualist's" quest for honor.

...most of the authorities hold that dancing is a kind of mute rhetoric by which the orator, without' uttering a word, can make himself understood by his movements and persuade the spectators that he is gallant and worthy to be acclaimed, admired and loved.2

The setting and social conditions under which court dancing took place influenced its importance in the curriculum. As noted by Arbeau, a courtier was expected to dance well. As a model, his manner of dancing was watched by many. Castiglione advised the courtier to practice in his own room or elsewhere the basic dance steps before he performed them in public.3

During the period Castiglione wrote, a court dance in popularity was the basse dance. The term "basse" was derived: 1) from the contrast of its typical low, gliding steps with the lively leaps of the galliard, and 2) from the characteristic feature of its early music, the use of one of a relatively small number of themes as a bass above which the tune and its accompaniment were improvised.4

Descriptions of the performance of the basse dance seem to embody stoic, graceful, courtly demeanour. During Arbeau's time, the basse dance had been out of style for approximately forty years, but he foresaw that "wise and dignified matrons will restore it to fashion as being a type of dance full of virtue and decorum."5

In discussing the latter counterpart of the basse dance, the pavan , Arbeau described the setting in which court dancing took place:

A cavalier may dance the pavan wearing his cloak and sword, and others, such as you, dressed in your long gowns, walking with decorum and measured gravity. And the damsels with demure mien, their eyes lowered save to cast an occasional glance of virginal modesty at the onlookers. On solemn feast days the pavan is employed by kings, princes and great noblemen to display themselves in their fine mantles and ceremonial robes. They are accompanied by queens, princesses and great ladies, the long trains of their dresses loosened and sweeping behind them, sometimes borne by damsels. And it is the said pavens, played by hautboys and sackbuts, that announce the grand ball and are arranged to last until the dancers have circled the hall two or three times, unless they prefer to dance it by advancing and retreating. Pavans are also used in masquerades to herald the entrance of the gods and goddesses in their triumphal chariots or emperors and kings in full majesty.1

The expectation was that every individual should dance gracefully. Dance, in this sense, becomes much more than what has come to be viewed as "psycho-motor" development. It was the holistic embodiment of education.

The entire concept was refined even further with the introduction of the idea of "sprezzatura," or a certain "nonchalance."2 This refinement became a social standard of the courts through which approval or disapproval was determined.

Though Castiglione does not question the importance or usefulness of his courtier ideal, he is confronted with the problem: what is the purpose of such effort?

For indeed by being of noble birth, graceful, charming, and expert in so many exercises, the Courtier were to bring forth no other fruit than to be what he is, I should not judge it right for a man to devote so much study and labor to acquiring this perfection of Courtiership as anyone must do who wishes to acquire it. Nay, I should say that many of those accomplishments that have been attributed to him were frivolities and vanities and, in a man of any rank, deserving of blame rather than of praise...3

Castiglione's proclaimed aesthetic individualism took a definite ethical turn in the fourth book (evening). The different orientation is so drastic that one finds merit in Robert White's claim,

Thus, as we see, the tenor of the fourth book is vastly different from that of the preceding books. There is a definite discrepancy between them and the last book. This last book must have been written much later. We do not know exactly when. The composition of the work can be traced through Guidobaldo da Montefeltro in 1508; it was written between 1514 and 1518. Castiglione rewrote it until it received its final form toward 1524. It was finally published in 1528.1

Troubled by the "degree of social consequence" of the courtier's education, Castiglione resigns to stating that personal perfection is merely the means towards the end - the education of the prince. With such a clear shiftin the values underlying his position, it seems evident that Castiglione may well have confronted one of the major issues in curriculum - namely, the clash between personal and social goals. In taking this position, it appears that he may well have settled for the then current interpretation of what we now call "social needs."

Sir Thomas Elyot was less troubled by the persistent curriculum problem of the proper relationship between the development of the individual and his relationship to the larger society - the personal/social goals dilemma. In the prince's mirror tradition, Elyot's The Governour asserts that proper government could only be the result of the creation of an informed governing class. These kings/statemen would be schooled in the lessons of history and moral philosophy, and attuned to the ethical and moral foundations of just governances. Hence, from the very beginning a governor's educational training was that he may better rule his people.

The Boke named the Governour was divided into three sections. The first dealt with the training of the future governor. The second section described the governor's behavior in the social context; and the third section described the necessary virtues of political life. Like his contemporaries, Erasmus, Vittorino da Feltre, and Castiglione, Elyot sought to establish an English educational system based upon the soundest principles of humanism. The body, as well as the mind and spirit, must be given proper training. This was a basic principle undergirding the humanist's view:

It was the ideal of the humanist to fashion a gentleman in whom the three aspects of human nature would be harmoniously united, who would reveal in his every work and act both an inner and an outer grace. For purpose of acquiring grace of carriage and demeanor, certain physical exercise, among them dancing, were thought to be efficacious.2

Not all humanists approved of dancing, for Elyot spends time justifying the respectability of dance. The association of man and woman in dancing developed "not only for the necessary conjunction of those two persons, as for the intimation of 'sundry virtues' which be by them represented. And for as much as by the association of a man and a woman in dancing may be signified matrimony, holding each other by the hand or the arm, which betokeneth concord." 1 Moreover, the dancer and beholders (onlookers) must be familiar with the masculine and feminine qualities which he noted were different but, when brought together in a well performed dance, displayed higher virtues of each sex.2

Important for our understanding of Elyot's contribution to early curriculum theory is the application of his general view to the instruction of children. In his own words:

As I have already affirmed, the principal cause of this my little enterprise is to declare an induction or mean, how children of gently nature or disposition may be trained into the way of virtue with a pleasant facility.3

He further interprets the importance of dance in the education of the young by asserting that it serves as "recreation meditation" which results in the acquiring of "prudence."4

Elyot continues, asserting that prudence, the most useful virtue and an introduction to all other virtues, ought to be the focus of the "gentleman's" studies as early as possible.

As an example, the eight steps of the basse dance are shown to correspond with the eight branches of the virtue, prudence.

The first moving in every dance is called honour, which is a reverent inclination or curtsey, with a long deliberation or pause, and is but one motion, comprehending the time of three other motions, or setting forth of the foot. By that may be signified that at the beginning of all our acts, we should do honour to God, which is the root of prudence; which honour is compact of these three things, fear, love, and reverence...

By the second motion, which is two in number, may be signified celerity and slowness; which two, albeit they seem to discord in their effects and natural properties, and therefore they may be well resembled to the brawl in dancing, yet of them two springeth an excellent virtue whereunto we lack a name in English. Wherefore I am constrained to usurp a Latin work, calling it maturity... Maturity is a mean between two extremities, wherein nothing lacketh or exceedeth, and is in such estate that it may neither increase nor minish without losing the denomination of maturity.

The third motion, called singles, is of two unities separate in passing forward; by whom may be signified providence and industry; which after everything maturely achieved, as is before written, maketh the first pass forward in dancing.

Commonly next after singles in dancing is a reprise, which is one moving only, putting back the right foot to his fellow. And that may be well called circumspection, which signifieth as much as beholding on every part what is well and sufficient, what lacketh, how and from whence it may be provided.

A double in dancing is compact of the number of three, whereby may be noted these three branches of prudence; election, experience, and modesty. By them the said virtue of prudence is made complete, and is in her perfection.1

Though one may question the validity between obtaining virtue and the act of dancing, it is clear how Elyot came to this relationship. The governor would rule his people; therefore all aspects of the curriculum should be directed towards the preparation for such social ends.

Conclusions

This study has analyzed the implicit, motivating forces behind the work of two influential Renaissance writers. In addition, a common element of the curriculum, dance and physical grace, was explored to understand better the respective philosophical orientations and their educational implications. The following warranted generalizations are clearly supported:

1.) Castiglione and Elyot addressed what has become a perennial issue in curriculum theory and practice: is the accumulation of knowledge for personal or social ends? Both writers constructed differing resolutions to the personal/social ends dilemma. Elyot reconciled the either/ or issue by channeling the education of the governor for the public good. The future governor did concentrate upon educating himself, but this was in view of the great social responsibility placed upon him in latter years. The young governor was educated in an elitist system, but to serve social ends- the governing of his constituency. All activities of the young student were shaped by this projected leadership role.

Castiglione1 s courtier, the aesthetic personality ideal, epitomized knowledge for self-development and personal fame. But the development of this ideal did not stand the test of Castiglione1 s social conscience. His meager attempt to shiftto a more socially-oriented position (in Book 4) only displays the weakness of this original stance - the conception of the Aesthetic Man.

2.) Curricular purposes and goals may come to serve oppressive social ends. Castiglione1 s doctrine must be viewed as an "instrument for political and social oppression." With the merchant classes gaining economic and substantial political power, nobility was placed in a position of re-asserting its importance. This power was held through the aristocracy's control of social acceptance. The means for granting social acceptance stemmed from an implementation of curricular goals formulated in Il Cortegiano A count, a member of nobility, proclaimed himself the "torchbearer of an aesthetic personality ideal." Thus Castiglione, in an autocratic apriori manner, proclaimed nobility's ways as the "proper" form of social behavior. The rising merchant class aspiring to gain acceptance from the aristocracy sought to become "proper" in their behavior. Castiglione's writings make clear nobility's degree of acceptance of the lower classes. Noble birth was a near prerequisite for becoming a "good" courtier. With such a prerequisite and with such extremely subjective concepts as "sprezzatura," the aristocracy had total control of who was accepted into their social circles. Oppression was clearly an outcome of such autocratic control of the ends of education

3.) Curriculum theory implicit in the works of Castiglione and Elyot was based on a holistic view of human nature. They clearly were unwilling to separate the cognitive from the affective and the psychomotor dimensions of the individual. Their view of the role of dance in education is a good example of this position in as much as it cuts across all three domains. Furthermore, dance as they perceive it draws upon "cultural content" from a wide range of cultural heritage. Since their time this content has been separated into narrow and diverse subject matter fields. It may be asserted that these two early patrons of curriculum theory suggest a significant historical antecedent for present attempts to reconceptualize general education.

Footnote

1 Herbert Kliebard, "Reappraisal: The Tyler Rationale," in Curriculum Theorizing: The Reconceptualists, ed. William Pinar (Berkeley: McCutchan Publishing Corp., 1975), p. 70.

2 Lawrence Cremin, "Curriculum Making in the United States," in Curriculum Theorizing: The Reconceptualists, ed. Pinar, pp. 19-35.

3 Ibid., p. 33.

1 Ralph Roeder, The Man of the Renaissance (New York: The Viking Press, 1933), p. 213.

2 Ibid., p. 213.

1 Jacob Burckhardt, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1929), p. 382.

2 Baldesar Castiglione, The Book of the Courtier, translated by Charles S, Singlton (New York: Anchor Books, 1959), pp. 31-32.

3 Ibid., p. 40.

4 Julia Sutton, "Reconstruction of 16th Century Dance," in C.O.R.D. 's Dance History Research: Perspectives from Related Arts & Disciplines; Proceedings from the 2nd Conference on Research in Dance, July 4-6, 1969, Warrenton, Va., p. 56.

1 Thoinot Arbeau, Orchesography, translated by Mary Stewart Evans (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1967), p. 13.

2 Ibid., p. 6.

3 Castiglione, The Book of the Courtier, p. 43.

4 Groves' Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Vol. 1, ed. Eric Blom (London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., 1954), p. 482.

5 Arbeau, Or chesography, p. 51.

1 Ibid., p. 59.

2 Castiglione, The Book of the Courtier, p. 43.

"But, having thought many times already about how this grace is acquired (leaving aside those who have it from the stars), I have found quite a universal rule which in this matter seems to me valid above all others, and in all human affairs whether in word or deed; and that is to avoid affection in every way possible as though it were some very rough and dangerous reef; and to practice in things a certain sprezzatura (nonchalance), so as to conceal all art and make whatever is done or said appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it.

Therefore we may call that art true art which does not seem to be art; nor must one be more careful of anything than of concealing it, because if it is discovered, this robs a man of all credit and causes him to be held in slight esteem."

3 Ibid., p. 289.

1 John S., White, Renaissance Cavalier (New York: Philosophical Library, 1959), p. 58.

2 John M. Majors, "The Moralization of the Dance in Elyot's Governour Studies in the Renaissance (New York: Renaissance Society of America), Vol. 5, pp. 27-28.

1 Sir Thomas Elyot, The Boke named the Governor, ed. S. E. Lehmberg (New York: Everyman's Library, 1907), p. 77.

2 Ibid., p. 78.

3 Ibid., p. 78.

4 Ibid., p. 79.

1 Ibid., pp. 79-86. The explicit nature of the "dance-to-prudence" analogy may be seen as an example of the Elizabethan conception of "the univerdal order," E. M" W0 Tillyard, The Elizabethan World Picture (New York; Vintage Books).