Machiavellian Ministry

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Recommended: Contribution of Machiavelli to political thought

What is the attitude of a true leader? We all have different opinions toward the idea of a “true leader”. Some say a true leader must be loved, others say they must be feared. Some say they should be compassionate towards humanity, others say they should be indifferent. One of the famous theories of leadership is proposed in Machiavelli’s The Prince. Tempered through strife and conflict, characters in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar are forced to undertake harsh, Machiavellian stances to augment their authority. For those who command Machiavellian traits, it is nothing more than a visage–an image that does not reveal the manifestation of the failure to implement Machiavelli’s advice on ruling, where their downfall can be traced.

Caesar’s lack of somewhat savage Machiavellian traits foreshadows his downfall a multitude of times. From the beginning, the soothsayer warns him to watch out for the Ides of March. There are also bad signs; men in fire walks up and down the streets, and a lioness gives birth on the streets. Likewise, before he heads to the Senate House to receive the crown, Calphurnia tells him that she has had a nightmare, and pleads him to stay home. However, he ignores all the premonitions and moves toward where the Senators are, with no one to protect him when he is in danger. This action of Caesar contradicts the teachings of Machiavelli, “Before all else, be armed” (The Prince). As a result of his carelessness, the conspirators see that he has no chance of circumventing, and assassinates him. Similarly, he is unsuccessful in recognizing the outrage of Cassius and a few others; he isn’t doubtful enough of their secretive deeds and eventually loses the reigns to eliminate the defiance. "The same thing occurs in affairs o...

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...velli to highlight the negative aspects of society and make us aware of our flaws. This way, we can benefit our society by being fully aware of our imperfections and using the knowledge to evolve into better leaders.

Works Cited

Constitutional Rights Foundation. “Bill of Rights In Action : Machiavelli and The Prince.” 1 Mar. 2011. Class Handout. Concordia International School Shanghai, Shanghai, China.

Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. 1 Mar. 2011. Class Handout. Concordia International School Shanghai, Shanghai, China.

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square, 1992. Print.

Marriott, W. K., trans. Machiavelli: The Prince: Contents. The Prince. Niccolo Machiavelli, 1515. Index. Jon Roland, 20 Sept. 2005. Web. 02 Apr. 2011. .

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