Machiavelli

What book did Machiavelli write?

Discourses on Livy Book II 1531

What did Machiavelli say?

Worldly politics are shaped not by God but by the will desire and energy of man

What does pursuit of power often lead to?

Moral ambiguity and personal betrayal

How does Claudius exemplify Machiavellian principles?

He understands that maintaining power involves questionable ethics

His reign is marked by deceit

Ruthless

Calculating

Willing to use deception to maintain hold on the throne

Masks guilt and manipulates the court

What does Machiavelli assert about appearances?

They can be more critical than reality in political matters

What does the higher you climb on the social ladder lead to?

A greater downfall

What by Machiavelli influenced Hamlet?

‘The Prince’

What does ‘The Prince’ portray?

Political cunning, manipulation, and the complexity of leadership

What is Machiavelli usually associated with?

The coldly practical tricks and manipulation of statecraft

What does Machiavelli’s ideas resonate with?

Hamlet’s struggles with actions, morality, and power

What does Hamlet’s internal conflict reflect?

The tension between moral integrity and the necessity of decisive action

How does Hamlet embody Machiavellian qualities?

Pretends to be mad and used Ophelia for manipulation

Why does Hamlet turn to Machiavellian tactics?

Realises court is corrupt so it’s the only way to survive

How does Claudius manipulate the court?

Speeches and outward displays of benevolence

Presents himself as just and capable

What is Claudius’s internal struggle?

Inability to repent genuinely for his sins

What does the complication of Machiavellian image highlight?

Tension between his political expedience and moral consequences of his actions

What does the character of Claudius serve as a study of?

Dangers of power gained by treachery