Essays on Machiavelli’s The Prince
Mr. Moore
Due: Friday, September 2nd. 2011
Write a 2-page essay (typed and double spaced 12pt Times New Roman)
responding to ONE of the questions below. In your essay you should make
specific references to The Prince. You may quote BRIEFLY (a few lines). The
purpose of the essay is to show that you read and understood the book, so the
more specific references, the better! The full text of the Prince can be found online
in several locations (one is linked on my website). Also you may check it out
from the library.
A. You are the pope. Write a review of The Prince explaining why you have put
it on the Index of Prohibited Books. Explain by discussing the major themes of
the book and specifying precisely what is offensive to the Church.
B. "Within twenty years of its publication, The Prince had passed through
twenty-five editions. "
How do you account for the popularity of The Prince in the sixteenth century?
What makes it an appealing book, especially in Italy? Be specific.
C. What are the most important principles of Renaissance statecraft outlined in
The Prince? To what extent is Machiavelli the founder of modern political
science? Explain.
D. While Machiavelli was actually a republican in politics, nevertheless he wrote
The Prince, advocating strong authoritarian rule. How do you explain this
apparent paradox?
E. To what extent is The Prince still relevant to a modern audience? Why do you
think the book is widely assigned to be read by undergraduates at universities in
the lat 20th century? What aspects of the text still ‘speak’ to us?
F. Write a book review for a student newspaper Machiavelli’s The Prince,
analyzing the aspects of the book likely to appeal (or not to appeal) to a BHS
student.
G. Describe human nature and behavior as presented by Machiavelli. To what
extent does he justify his bleak views of the way people behave?
H. Power, the means to power and the way to keep it are major themes of
Machiavelli. Assess his view of power and explain how this view may be
relevant today.
Essays on Machiavelli’s The Prince
Mr. Moore
Due: Friday, September 2nd. 2011
Write a 2-page essay (typed and double spaced 12pt Times New Roman)
responding to ONE of the questions below. In your essay you should make
specific references to The Prince. You may quote BRIEFLY (a few lines). The
purpose of the essay is to show that you read and understood the book, so the
more specific references, the better! The full text of the Prince can be found online
in several locations (one is linked on my website). Also you may check it out
from the library.
A. You are the pope. Write a review of The Prince explaining why you have put
it on the Index of Prohibited Books. Explain by discussing the major themes of
the book and specifying precisely what is offensive to the Church.
B. "Within twenty years of its publication, The Prince had passed through
twenty-five editions. "
How do you account for the popularity of The Prince in the sixteenth century?
What makes it an appealing book, especially in Italy? Be specific.
C. What are the most important principles of Renaissance statecraft outlined in
The Prince? To what extent is Machiavelli the founder of modern political
science? Explain.
D. While Machiavelli was actually a republican in politics, nevertheless he wrote
The Prince, advocating strong authoritarian rule. How do you explain this
apparent paradox?
E. To what extent is The Prince still relevant to a modern audience? Why do you
think the book is widely assigned to be read by undergraduates at universities in
the lat 20th century? What aspects of the text still ‘speak’ to us?
F. Write a book review for a student newspaper Machiavelli’s The Prince,
analyzing the aspects of the book likely to appeal (or not to appeal) to a BHS
student.
G. Describe human nature and behavior as presented by Machiavelli. To what
extent does he justify his bleak views of the way people behave?
H. Power, the means to power and the way to keep it are major themes of
Machiavelli. Assess his view of power and explain how this view may be
relevant today.