The Place of the Literary in European Diplomacy

Chapter 1 uses myth and myth-ritual theory to make sense of previously unstudied myths about the shared origins of diplomacy and literature in English, French, Spanish, and Italian diplomatic handbooks. Such diplomatic theorists as Alberico Gentili, Juan Antonio de Vera y Figueroa, Gasparo Bragaccia, and James Howell adapted classical myths and biblical stories to link the establishment of diplomatic institutions with the emergence of the literary arts. Set against a mythical time of pre-civilized anarchy, their origin accounts imply that without the rhetorical and poetic abilities believed necessary both to create literature and to negotiate successfully, international relations would break down, and anarchy prevail once more. These myths expose beliefs about the foundational relationship between diplomacy and literature prevalent within the European political elites that produced and consumed them. This chapter argues that, as powerful, community-wide narratives, the handbooks’ fictional histories naturalized the use of literary products and the display of literary skills—such as oratory, theatricality, wit, and poetic sensibility—within the diplomatic rituals of early modern Europe.