Be a Renaissance Person

If you are called a Renaissance man or woman, it is a great compliment. A Renaissance person, also known as a "polymath", refers to a person with many talents or interests, and is talented academically, athletically, and in etiquette. Renaissance people are well-balanced and well-educated in lots of different areas. The term "Renaissance person" comes from the multiple artists and scholars of the European Renaissance in about 1450, who pursued numerous fields of studies. If you would like to be considered a Renaissance person, continue reading for some tips.

Steps

Building your physical prowess

  1. Be talented athletically. During the Renaissance period, a Renaissance man was expected to be talented at ball, javelin, wrestling, pleasing the ladies and arrow-shooting. In this day, both men and women can be physically active. Today, a Renaissance person would be expected to follow a proper diet and be fit. Watch your intake in unhealthy snacks, and drink as little soda as possible. Examine your weight by assisting your diet, but also engage in activities such as running, lifting weights, swimming, bicycling, or any other activities you do for physique.
    • Set achievable goals for yourself. A Renaissance person never stops, and is always working harder and harder. Even when you have achieved your personal goals, keep setting weekly or monthly ones.

Developing your creativity

  1. Be musical. During the Renaissance, music was an important value in people's daily lives. A Renaissance person was expected to sing, take an instrument, or compose their own music. Although some people today may not have an interest in music, it is still an important thing to know a bit about. Consider taking up a certain instrument, like guitar, piano, flute, harp, etc. (in the Renaissance, organ was the main instrument) and learn to sing. Whether you sing alone or publicly, know some things about the hobby. Writing your own music is not necessary, but certainly is helpful.
  2. Understand art. In terms of art, the Renaissance was developing hundreds of different techniques in their paintings. Today, however, a Renaissance person should basically know how to draw and paint a bit. Some people are born with the natural talent of art, and some art not as skilled in the subject, but either way, one should be familiar with the aspects of it.
    • You may find it worthwhile to improve minor skills like penmanship/calligraphy, craftsmanship, chess, dancing. A renaissance person should be well-rounded in minor skills as well as major skills.

Honing your intellectual skills

  1. Be educated. The Renaissance period is known for its development in astronomy, law, mathematics, and writing. Depending on your occupation or interests, you may not need to know some of the things a person knew in the Renaissance, but if you enjoy learning about different areas, educate yourself. Renaissance people wrote books, music and plays, studied law, physics and mathematical arts, participated in medical schooling, and learned about the making of ships, shoes, books, writing utensils, and other popular inventions. Look at some of these things, and consider becoming more educated in these topics.
    • Avoid professing to know an expertise just because you've dabbled on the edges. For example, there is nothing more dangerous than a person half-trained in a profession stating an outcome in black and white terms; a real professional knows that much is subject to interpretation of the context and informed by many years of hard study and experience. If you only know a little, make that very clear and do not put yourself forth as an "expert".
  2. Be well-read. This is an important trait for a Renaissance person. Read classic literature as well as modern literature, so as to be able to hold an intelligent discussion.

Balancing your life

  1. Have a good family and economic life. In times of the Renaissance, people were expected to have good, well-paying jobs, stupendous Plan a Medieval or Renaissance Wedding, and large families of nine to ten. There are economic difficulties today, but you should still work hard and support yourself and family. A Renaissance person was stable in their house, food and clothing amounts, which any person today should strive to be. Marriages were arranged mostly in the Renaissance, which is not entirely the case today, but if you have a partner or spouse, ensure that your relationship is healthy. Of course, today you are not expected to have ten children, but if you are starting a family, make sure that your children are well-rounded and healthy. Try to be the family that others look at and feel almost jealous of.
    • Animals were very much respected in the Renaissance. If you have a pet, make sure to take very good care of him and honor him always.

Developing your character and temperament

  1. Be brave. In the Renaissance, men always went to war to fight for their country, fought for their spouse or family, and were warlike. Today, you don't have to do this to be brave. Fighting is actually somewhat looked down upon today, but you can be brave in other ways. Although medication developed during the Renaissance, the life-expectancy was not normally past sixty, and many children died of natural causes before their seventh birthday. Today, the life expectancy is higher and most children will live longer, but you can be brave in sickness and death. From surgeries to roller-coasters, you can be brave.
  2. Be thoughtful and generous. In the Renaissance period, being helpful and assisting other people in times of trouble was expected. One-tenth of the income in the middle ages was given to the church, and in the Renaissance, they were expected to give some money and goods to those who weren't as lucky. Today, charity is a huge part of life. Some children nowadays ask for only donations to charity as presents for birthdays or holidays, and businesses in helping the hungry, poor, and sick are very common. Help out by volunteering or raising money for something, and people will think you came right out of the Renaissance 600 years ago.
  3. Be courteous. Revive chivalry. In the Renaissance, etiquette was considered the most important value in daily life. Many books were written about how one should act in the Renaissance, like The Courtier or The Prince. Today, there are books like that too, like, Tiffany's Table Manners for Teenagers or American Girl's A (smart) Girl's Guide to Manners. Whether you've read them or not, a renaissance person should be polite to their elders, and respectful of their neighbors opinions. A Renaissance person should be modest (but not around those who don't necessarily agree), gentle, and reserved. One should have excellent etiquette with the opposite sex, and should have good manners in entertaining. For more general information about courtesy, read this article.
  4. Be a leader. A real Renaissance person is a person who helps others and cares for their neighbors. Do not teach others about being a Renaissance person or be particularly corrective about it. If they want advice, give them gentle tips, but if not, keep it to yourself. Inspire your neighbors with your talents.

Tips

  • Some sources may say that a Renaissance Ideal should be blonde, pale, soft, and neither short nor tall. But when people call you a Renaissance person, they are not basing it off your appearance. They are basing it off of your personality and accomplishments.
  • The Renaissance was an important period in history where religion became less prevalent. If you are religious, it doesn't mean you are less of a Renaissance person. If you follow the rules of the religion and are solitary about it, people may think you are even more of a Renaissance person.
  • In the Renaissance period, people thought that a Renaissance person had to be male. In the twenty-first century, Renaissance people can be either Renaissance men or Renaissance women.
  • Study some more about Renaissance people and development to learn more about it. Leonardo da Vinci, for example, was a Renaissance person.
  • If anyone ever insults you about it or is ever hostile to you about being a Renaissance person, do not take it personally. They are jealous.

Warnings

  • Some may find it rude if you are very modest about yourself. You want to politely acknowledge your accomplishments, without entirely bragging.

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