Compare And Contrast Machiavelli And Castiglione

Throughout history, great leaders and figures influenced their respective lands greatly, fitting them into their own mold. These people had a set vision on what they wanted their land to be like, and some of these people, even wrote their ideas down. Three of these individuals are Baldassare Castiglione, an Italian diplomat, Niccolò Machiavelli also an Italian diplomat, and George Washington, the first president of the United States. They wrote The Courtier, The Prince, and Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation, respectively. Castiglione’s book, published in 1528, was on the proper behavior of a courtier, or a noble who was an attendant to a royal person. Machiavelli's treatise, written in 1517, was on the proper style of leadership by individuals, and was dedicated to Lorenzo de Medici, whom Machiavelli held in contempt after being kicked out of his position as military advisor in Florence. Washington’s set of rules was written when he was only sixteen, …show more content…
Machiavelli and Castiglione had their own form of intelligence that they would have in their ideal person. For Castiglione, this form of intelligence refers to being immersed in literature. He stated that, “I would have the courtier know literature, in particular those known as the humanities. … Let him be proficient in writing in verse and prose, particularly in our own, vulgar language.”(Castiglione, 7) Castiglione believes that literature is important, especially in the vernacular. He states that the courtier should have a good grasp on literature and writing, or just standard intelligence. His idea that studying Renaissance ideas is important, whereas Machiavelli, believes that instead of knowing classical stuff, you should know about history. In his writing, he