Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Years ago, a colleague sent me information about a website on platform shoes in Renaissance Venice. I relocated it several years later, after conducting a lengthy search process, googling all sorts of unsavory subjects. I am surprised I did not find myself targeted either by St. Olaf or by higher powers as a person of questionable morals. And I do all this in the name of providing you with a quality education! The reason I wanted to look this up is to give you a sense of the extravagance of some of the Renaissance fashions that came under control of sumptuary legislation. Renaissance Venice, home of Veronica Franco, was especially well known for its courtesans and for the outlandishness of sartorial display. What may seem to be an object of fascination to us was serious business to women of the time. Pay close attention to King's Focus piece on Franco, especially Franco's evaluation of the life of a courtesan.

Our reading for this class includes some subjects we've already touched on. King is interested in the social history of the Renaissance, which is this chapter's focus. For study purposes, I'd like all of you first to know something about the composition of the urban upper class in Italy. The nobility and the wealthy merchants blended together in Italy in ways that were peculiar to that region. The anti-magnate legislation of the earlier period (late 13th century) gave way over time to the solidification of this urban patriciate at the top of the social and political hierarchy.

Second, what is meant by the term "marginal" in reference to certain groups? What are the various groups that fall into this category, and what did they have in common in terms of their position in relation to the dominant culture? What were their vulnerabilities?

Third, what are some of the forms of association that Renaissance people enjoyed? Can you compare the lives of people during this time with those of modern Americans in respect to these opportunities?

Homework Questions:

• What kinds of women became prostitutes? Why did they do it? What were the variations in wealth and status?
• How did the public authorities deal with prostitution? What was their attitude? Draw upon the documents in Bartlett to illustrate.
• Unpack the story of Nencia. What can we learn about the vulnerability of servants in fifteenth-century Florence? What issues seemed to concern the contestants in the legal action? What was the outcome?
• Unpack the story of Maria the Slave. What might her motives have been? What was the outcome of the legal action, and why do you think it turned out this way?

Laurel Carrington carringt@stolaf.edu
Most recent update: January 23, 2008

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