Essays on The Prince

A comparative study of two texts reveals context as the primary influence upon the interplay between pragmatism and personality morality in an individual’s pursuit and consolidation of power. Driven by an overarching contextual desire for stable government, Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince (1513) and William Shakespeare’s...

Ernst Cassirer states in his book The Myth of the State that “The Prince is neither a moral nor an immoral book: it is simply a technical book. In a technical book we do not seek for rules of ethical conduct, of good and evil....

In 1532, a divisive pamphlet was published which established the foundation of modern political science while merging classical pagan philosophy with Renaissance humanism. (Fry) The Prince, written by Niccolo Machiavelli, was condemned immediately after publication by Pope Clement VIII (Lin) to due Machiavelli’s disdain for...

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli and Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare are prime examples of texts which address universal issues in politics that remain relevant throughout time. The distinctive contexts and perspectives of the authors are highlighted through the exploration of personal morality in different...

The ideal of a complex nation state, one that possesses a central power and does not operate in a feudal manner or under the control of the Church, came into being during a rather turbulent period of political transition. The political realities of this era...

At first thought, this question seems simple enough. After all, Nicolo Machiavelli did more or less write an “autocrat’s handbook” when he authored The Prince. In this text, Machiavelli explains how an autocrat rises to power, when an autocrat can best rise to power, and...

In the Oxford English Dictionary there exists an irony: a definition of a term, which originated from the Italian politician Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, implies the exact opposite of what its originator argued. This irony is simultaneously a cause and a result of the...

In social psychology, there is a well-known theory that explains why individuals show hatred for those of different races, religions, sexualities, sports teams, political parties, and other groupings. This is called the “social identity theory”. Those who share a common category, the ingroup, are more...

The conflict between the ideal and the reality has long been the center of the debate in the history of political philosophy. Many famous philosophers have constructed an imaginary world upon which their entire theories are based. They believe an ideal model of the state,...

Niccolo Machiavelli opens The Prince in full compliance with the behavioral laws he sets forth in following chapters; fitting with his brazen separation of ethics from politics, he meekly addresses Lorenzo de Medici with such words as “I hope it will not be thought presumptuous...

Throughout The Prince, Niccoló Machiavelli explores human nature in the context of ruling and being ruled. In the letter to Lorenzo dé Medici that prefaces the text, Machiavelli explains that he has greatly studied “the deeds of great men” and is well acquainted with “contemporary...

It can be difficult for the modern reader to appreciate the power struggle underlying HENRY IV, Part 1 (1H4). As causes of the War of the Roses and the struggles of the House of Lancaster recede from memory, it is useful to have a lens...

Within his work The Prince, Machiavelli presents a double perspective on rulership that works to focus the direction of outlook beyond the habitual leader to leader approach we have previously seen. Breaking from tradition, Machiavelli’s idea that “in order to properly understand the behavior of...

Several of the most famous stories told to young children were Aesop’s fables, creative stories designed to teach valuable life lessons. One of the most memorable to me was the fable about the lion that spared a mouse’s life and was later rescued by the...

In The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli, the author, generally lays forth a system of ethics for rulers. Given the strength of Christianity at the time that he wrote this work, Machiavelli’s instructions to aspiring rulers are surprising. His definition of “goodness,” or “virtue,” seems to stray...

Machiavelli’s The Prince is an ambitious attempt to outline the steps necessary to ensuring success in leadership. The work dissects the elements of power; it identifies the sources from which it springs and the tactics required for its maintenance. His position rests on the claim...

The Prince is more of a manual for successful leadership then a book. It was the first book written that did not make any mention of god and at the time was considered controversial for its lack of morals. The Prince describes the two principal...

In her essay, “Origins of the Novel”, Marthe Robert characterises the novel as knowing “neither rule nor restraint. Open to every possibility, its boundaries fluctuate in all directions”. Indeed, both Madame de Lafayette’s The Princess de Cleves and Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko are often claimed to...

Society Mark Twain’s novels The Prince and the Pauper and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer tells the fictional story of young boys in a real society that existed. In The Prince and the Pauper, the pauper, Tom Canty, and the prince, Edward Tutor, exchanges roles...

The thesis of this essay is that Machiavelli’s understanding of the nature of politics comprises of both the ideological and tangible effects necessary for a state to endure. This essay will attempt to discuss both, including Machiavelli’s thoughts on warfare, the methods of behavior of...

Modern Political Ideas in Machiavelli’s The Prince Machiavelli’s The Prince presents many political ideas that are still relevant in modern politics. He argues on topics such as whether it’s better to be loved or feared, whether to be generous or stingy, and how virture can...

Lorenzo de’ Medici Italian merchant prince, called Lorenzo il Magnifico [the magnificent]. He thrived in 1464. His father, Piero de’ Medici, as head of the Medici family and as virtual ruler of Florence. One of the towering figures of the Italian Renaissance, he was a...

Relationship Repair My latest Netflix obsession has been The Crown, with the second season premiering this past weekend. There is an intense and unique dynamic between Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip due to the vast disparity of power in their relationship. The Queen...

To take over a nation or organization, the cleverest method to take would be by following the wise advices of Sun Tzu in his remarkable work the Art of War and Machiavelli in his notable work The Prince. By following these wise strategies, perhaps not...

The Prince by Machiavelli is one of the most influential treatises in human history, conceived by Italian political theorist and diplomat, Niccolo Machiavelli. The Prince is often regarded as one of the first true examples of modern philosophy, most notably, political philosophy, and Machiavelli addressed...

Machiavelli is a pragmatic thinker and a realist in his approach to the world; this leads his fundamental ethical attitude in The Prince to lean towards amorality. Machiavelli himself may not be an amoral person, but his separation of ethics from politics and suspension of...

The following essay will explain why The Prince is a decidedly unMedieval piece of work. Many would say Machiavelli was known for straying away from the medieval norm. The following paragraph will give an explanation as to why. The main topic this essay will be...

For hundreds of years, European academics and theologians understood their world through the lens of Scholasticism. They employed dialectic discourse to abstractly evaluate inferences and to reconcile contradictions. However, this method of explaining reality was often burdened by indisputable religious dogma and other influential precedents...

Throughout history, we often see the relationship between church and state to be quite complex. Unlike modern times, there used to be a lot more of a relationship between the government and the church. This led to many clashing ideas, values, and ways of doing...

Government is an important part of any country. Whether the officials in charge are skilled or not at their jobs can make or break the country. The United States of America will probably be headed more toward “break” due to the upcoming election, but I...