AP+2103+P2+Gasparo+Contarini’s_The+Commonwealth+and+Government+of+Venice

Aim: Kassie Notbohm


Gasparo Contarini’s purpose for writing //The Commonwealth and Government of Venice// was to demonstrate the success, as well as the uniqueness, of the Venice government. As Elisabeth G. Gleason, from the University of California, writes in her book, //Gasparo Contarini: Venice, Rome, and Reform//, the aspects that Contarini “prized above all in the government of Venice” were the “rationality, order and the rule of law that made it impossible for one man to exercise arbitrary or tyrannical power” (Gleason 168). The “rationality” and “order” allows Venice’s government to run smoothly and stay organized, which is what Contarini takes pride in. Contarini emphasizes the absence of “arbitrary or tyrannical power” in order to confirm the presence of fairness and equality. Furthermore, Contarini utilizes “the rule of law” to illustrate the impartiality. In his essay, he describes the benefits of having an electoral system, stating, “public benefits are largely extended among the citizens” instead of only among “one family” (Contarini). The “public benefits,” as Contarini points out, are the keys to the successful government of Venice. Without satisfied “citizens” that are pleased because they are receiving fair opportunities, a government will fall. Therefore, Contarini focuses on the fair treatment of the “citizens” in regards to being appointed to serve in the government. Venice’s government also lacks the dominance of “one family,” and Contarini explains this to indicate how the people of Venice have an equal chance to be influential in the government. In Venice, tyrannies, and additional powerful factions that are present in other governments, fortunately do not exist, thus these “citizens” can exercise their rights without being struck down. All in all, Contarini writes //The Commonwealth and Government of Venice// to prove the success of Venice’s government to outsiders as well as display the satisfaction and faith that the citizens of Venice have in their government.

Works Cited Contarini, Gasparo. //The Commonwealth and Government of Venice//. London: Hand and Plow in Fleetstreet, 1599. Print.

Gleason, Elisabeth G. //Gasparo Contarini: Venice, Rome, and Reform//. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993. Print.

Audience: Jason Gomez
The Commonwealth and Government of Venice was written in 1599 by Gasparo Contarini in which molded the entire government system of Venice. Greg Tibbs wrote about the translation of the document and described its makeup, “ The first book is a general overview of Venetian government and how it arose. The second book details the office of the doge, whilst the third explains the function of the Senate and the Council of Ten. The fourth book discusses civil matters in the city of Venice itself, and the fifth informs the reader about the administration and government of Venice's territories” (Tibbs 16). This document outlines the general change that the government was receiving because it was speaking about how the government is actually going to change. Laura Tosi and Shaul Bassi in the article “Introduction: Visions of Venice in Shakespeare” write about the social status of Venice during his time of writing //Othello// and they state, “ Venice was undergoing a ‘shift from a center of information about the world (especially the east) to a center of information about itself.’ It was the beginning of an ongoing process that turned, as has often been remarked, a real city into a myth” (1). Having accumulated over centuries a large amount of economic, social, and cultural capital and all awhile becoming less competitive in the expanding world market, Venice alters as a city. This document was written and designed to emphasize harmony, fairness, and serenity. The people of Venice then started investing in symbolic capital and made their currency known throughout Europe. Venice changed their status and all those not residing in Venice adopted a myth of longevity and persistence in the city. The timeframe of //Othello// is during this transitional period of Venice where the city was beginning to change their standards and create a new government and culture of their city. This documented impacted the people of Venice, the audience of the bill, and created a social change all throughout the city that was working towards prosperity and created a long living reputation.

Works Cited

Tibbs, Greg. "VENETIAN MOMENTS IN EARLY MODERN ENGLISH POLITICAL THOUGHT." N.p., Aug. 2009. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.

Tosi, Laura, and Shaul Bassi. "Introduction: Visions of Venice in Shakespeare." N.p., July 2006. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.

Historical: Gaby McCormack
//The Commonwealth and Government// is the most informative document written by Gasparo Contarini which deals with the root system of Venice’s government. This document was translated out of Italian into English and provides all of the known information of justice within the great city of Venice up to date. The study and creation of this document deals with the “goodness and greatness” and all that Venice has to offer. It was written by Gasparo Contarini who at the time was an ambassador and the purpose of this document was written to, “emphasize harmony, fairness, and serenity” (Stoler). Much of this document was written so that there would be nothing but the pros of Italy and the way it’s government was ran. The civil laws are the composition and primary factors that were so revolutionary because Venice itself had just gone through The Reformation which was a time of Catholic reform in the time of 1545- 1563 which not only dealt with scientific reform but primarily politics and religious changes since the two at the time corresponded with one another (Stoler). Civil rights is seen as the central alterations to daily lives as seen in //The Commonwealth// “To support the development of international commerce, Venice instituted a whole set of new civil magistrates called the 'New Auditors' with specialized responsibilities, 'divided according to the qualities of the causes and of the persons’"(Contarini 1). For the time that this revolutionary document existed in Venice wasn’t entirely known to be just for the people of Italy but morever that for people around the world. As this document relates to that of //Othello// from Shakespeare, there is the hint and possibility that Shakespeare had indeed read this book to use for background information for //The Merchant of Venice// and especially //Othello.//

Works Cited: Contarini, Gasparo, and Lewis Lewkenor. //The Commonwealth and Government of Venice//. Amsterdam: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, 1969. Print.

Stoler, Aaron. “//Venetian Court System//”. University of Maryland. Web. 12 February 2013.

Cultural: Di Le
Gasparo Contarini’s The Common Wealth and Government of Venice altered the order of classes in Venice at the time. During this Medieval time in Venice it was described as “Inflation, which cut into the fixed income of the aristocracy, the loss of the traditional military role of the aristocracy, and the rise of industry and decline in the importance of landed property have all worked against the aristocracy” (Aristocracy). The “traditional military role” is no longer greatly the prominent force. Contarini’s document does not put those with higher roles at the top because slowly it is at “loss”. He wrote, and one of the most culturally impacting points, The Common Wealth and Government of Venice is to layout the importance of order of State, Church, and its people. “He thought of the first as having been devoted to the study of philosophy, the second to the service of the Venetian state, and the last to the service of the church” (Gleason). Even here, military or the wealthy is not considered to be at the top layer. “Philosophy” and the concept of a state are at play. Lastly, Church is still on the highest concern. It establishes the order for the People of Venice. Without straying away from the power of the church, which people are culturally upheld, Gaspasro suggests the gain of knowledge and encourages devotion to the state.

Works Cited

"Aristocracy." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2011): 1. Literary Reference Center. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.

Gleason, Elisabeth G. //Gasparo Contarini: Venice, Rome, and Reform.// Berkely: University of California Press, 1993. Print.