Hum 111
November 25, 2011

The point was about the term “ladies and gentlemen.” It would be easy to think of upper class women in flashy dresses and extravagant hats and men in tailcoats and top hats when talking about ladies and gentlemen. However, one of my goals when using the terms is to make their definitions much more than mere appearance, if appearance at all. This modernization of the terms helps bring the definition into the current century and throw away the traditional and very close-minded definition. It is for this reason that I believe being a lady or gentleman is based on personality, how a person treats others, I speak for most people who use the term “ladies and gentlemen” in reference to a person’s conduct, not a person’s class, social standing, race, sexuality. Some, when faced with the terms “ladies and gentlemen,” will immediately assume the worst by using the outdated definitions. Some will also dig for reasons to label those who use “ladies and gentlemen”. In labeling us this way, these people do not facilitate any sort of progress for the terms or for any sort of unity for women, or men, ladies or gentleman.
We live where we ought to not judge people by the color of their skin, their class, gender, or sexuality, with all of this, there are still groups who refuse to take off their blinders.
Ladies and Gentleman, now there is a saying that has been with us for a long time, but what does it really mean and where did it come from? Let’s start with the ladies as we all have been known to do in the century we live in today to always allow ladies to be first. The term ladies could mean many different things to many different cultures so let’s get the one that is primarily recognized by all. There are numerous definitions of a lady and I am sure that we all have varied opinions of what a lady is, but here is a few from the dictionary.
“Chiefly British A general feminine title of nobility and other rank, specifically, Used as the title for the wife or widow of a knight or baronet.
Used as a form of address for a marchioness, countess, viscounts, baroness, or baronets’.
Used as a form of address for the wife or widow of a baron. Used as a courtesy title for the daughter of a duke, a marquis, or an Earl. Used as a courtesy title for the wife of a younger son of a duke or marquis” (Ladies, n.d.). To discuss gentleman, as in reference to ladies is an entirely different topic but closely related .However to separate them is almost UN heard of in this society we live in today. The writer here feels it of necessity to come up with a definition of what is a gentleman where did this term come from. The definition of what the dictionary states is :,
A man of gentle or noble birth or superior social position: "He's too much a gentleman to be a scholar”, Used as a form of address for a group of men (gentleman, n.d.).
Now we have a general idea of what a Ladies and a gentleman Are, let’s put them together to get a better understanding of “Ladies and Gentleman”. To take a look at them individually is one aspect to consider but let’s look at what a well rounded person is first and foremost prior to becoming a Lady or a gentleman. I'Uomo Universal Literally, “universal Man” a self reliant, multitalented, freethinking individual “(Sayre H 2008-2012).
From the art work to the poetry of art and even the given philosophy that was all just a cultural part of growing with the ages was known to make Ladies and gentleman and primarily a humanist in all forms of the century. It was certain beliefs and attitudes to help make people what is universally known as well rounded .However the importance from education to cultural practices from philosophy made them who they were and their practice of becoming ladies and gentleman.
In a survey conducted I was able to poll ten people and from vary ages and backgrounds. Although they all had varies opinions on what a lady and what a gentleman is. It was a little redundant on what the ladies had to say concerning their definitions, and what the men had in their responses. The simple fact from the ladies side was mostly about the dress of a lady and how they carried themselves in public. However on the men’s side of the scenario it was mostly about them being of a maternal instinct, and mannerisms of a lady one being polite, sincere and genially whole.
However when it came to the Gentleman part of this survey it was all about having decent employment and being a good provider, and once again a good father figure. Funny as it seems this was from both the male and the female’s opinion. My age bracket was from one, my son who is twenty one, to my neighbor who is in their sixties. The ladies were a woman in their mid twenties to my mother in her late seventies. Their vocations were that of manufacturing to one of a professional woman a teacher.
However it was an interesting fact when I asked these questions to my girl who was brought up well as she calls it blue blood, or if you will high society and her idea’s and experiences being brought up to be a lady. The fact that she was taught to courtesy in her early years and to have proper mannerisms of that type of upbringing to be able to be presented to other able blue blooded men at eighteen for a possible mate to ensure of proper breeding from their bloodline was somewhat a crazy response to my questions on being a lady or a gentleman.
Therefore to some things up and to suggest whether or not I agree with Castiglione and his descriptions of a woman and that of a man or should we say a lady and a gentleman? To be or not to be the real question, a woman, lady or man or gentleman. Therefore I will share my opinions on the positives, I see fit and the negatives that I believe could be harmful to ones general character.
To be born out of nobility would be an awesome deal but when and where we were born and the freedom of choice in our upbringing is one I am a little half and half on if that makes sense, in other words I do believe it is wonderful to be born with your parents and having them part of your life to help guide you, and to prevent errors in their culture to help make you a well rounded person. However to feel that a judgment is made upon you from whose family you were born into and how you were to dress and what reactions one would have towards you because of your nobility at birth and being told you believe this way or that way I feel is wrong.
Therefore to be judgmental of the skin the dress and down to the language and how it is spoken to others and to deem their worthiness by a person’s size is a little farfetched but perhaps in that century the judgment rang true of a person’s actions be it male or female. To be a lady who plucks eyebrows or powders their face, or to be a wanton women to honest men or I believe the proper term here is harlot.
Men of good posture and build for fighting wars or one whom is of a cowardice nature, but what of those men who flatly just did not measure up to the standards of a fighter for wars. In our society today we are somewhat powerless of what our physical stature is to become and therefore almost impossible to say what we will become and surely plays an important role in the attitude towards that.
References
Gentleman, (n.d) retrieved from http://www.freedictionary.org/?Query=gentleman
Ladies (n.d.) retrieved from http://www.freedictionary.org/?Query=ladies
Sayre, H.M. (2012) The Humanities : Culture ,continuity and change ,Volume 1(2nd ed.)(2011 Custom edition).Upper Saddle River,NJ:Person Education.