existed among other sections of society during this time. It is likely that Gaspare's opinion of feminine inferiority is indeed an accurate reflection of much of the male population at that time. This was likely especially true outside the Court, where women would have never had near the freedoms and luxuries life at Court provided. It is likely that the women at Court were fortunate enough to avoid the more vulgar kind of chauvinism and enjoy relatively equal status, due in large part to the chivalric code which insisted on proper treatment of women. Castiglione used "The Courtier" to attempt to educate the future courtiers in his own views on women, especially the ideas of equality and respect rather than subordination. Whether or not he was successful is itself a topic of history. Castiglione's exceedingly high regard towards women is certainly commendable but likely isolated to the few people who actually participated in the Renaissance and specifically to the humanists and intellectuals of the time. The Renaissance was full of forward thinking people, who likely would have seen merit in Castiglione's view of women, however the Renaissance actually affected very few people overall, and a disproportionate amount of whom were upper class."The Courtier" as a whole portrayed a highly idealized world, tailored to the personal views of Castiglione. His Court lady and courtier were no different. Though he gave some valiant examples of extraordinary women, the character of the Court lady is a complex and unrealistic mixture of qualities, characteristics and attributes and it would be virtually impossible for a person such as this to exist. For his Court lady, Castiglione was able to draw from the many living women he adored, who had greatly affected his life. Elisabetta Gonzaga, about whom he writes, " if there ever were joined together in a single person understanding, grace, beauty, intelligence, refinement, humanity and ever...
