According to the etiquette during meals you should never wish “Enjoy your meal”The napkin should be kept on knees hey elbows they should never rest on table. But who decided these “rules”? In short, who invented etiquette, that is, the set of commonly accepted rules of behavior regarding civilized living and the good education? The Monsignor was the first to deal with “good manners”, giving them the name “etiquette”. Giovanni Della Casa (1503-1556) who between 1551 and 1555 wrote a short treatise in Italian, published posthumously, in 1558titled Etiquette or customs (the full title is much longer). The term “Etiquette” comes from the inspirer of the work, i.e Galeazzo Florimonte (in Latin Galatheus), bishop of Aquino (1543-1552) and then of Sessa Aurunca (1552-1565), to whom Giovanni della Casa dedicated the treatise.
The Etiquette or customs is set as a Platonic dialogue between an elderly man (behind whom the author hides and who is actually the only character who speaks) and a young boy (probably Della Casa’s favorite nephew, named Annibale). The elderly man enumerates and describes the different ways of behaving that he learned during his activity as Archbishop of Benevento, Apostolic Nuncio to Venice and Secretary of State of Pope Paul IV. It thus contains suggestions and indications regarding many areas and situations, from stay at the table al conversefrom holding or participating in receptions And parties al way of dressing.
The volume had a huge success and it was reprinted countless times over the centuries (even with slight changes and with a more readable structure, divided into chapters). He also stimulated the creation and printing throughout Europe of similar treatiesupdated to the uses and customs of the historical periods of reference and some of which in turn had widespread diffusion.
Nowadays there is no main reference or single authority on etiquette and etiquette. On the one hand the globalisation and the continuous contact with habits and customs different from European and Western ones has led to a certain difficulty in univocally systematizing social behaviors; on the other various forms of gallantry (speaking from the perspective of tradition) have increasingly been classified as forms of machismo And sexism. Furthermore, the growing importance of social networks it continually produces in people’s lives momentary fashions and styles. Despite this, especially in formal contexts And high-class environmentsthe rules of etiquette are often kept alive and respected.
