Did Łukasz Górnicki in “Dworzanin polski” and Baldassare Castiglione in “Il Libro del Cortegiano” think that women have no sense of humor?

Abstract

This article is an attempt to determine whether Łukasz Górnicki and Baldassarre Castiglione really thought that women don’t have a sense of humour. Some scholars suggest that Górnicki in “Dworzanin polski” put women away from the discussion because he considered them incapable of understanding jokes. In order to solve this conundrum, a thorough analysis and interpretation of the literary works of the indicated authors will be carried out, i.e. both “Il Libro del Cortegiano” and “Dworzanin polski”. The author of the article will also try to prove that Łukasz Górnicki and Baldassarre Castiglione showed a positive image of women too. Moreover, it will present what skills and abilities – according to the mentioned writers – should have women.