Yes, we all know this word from Vocabulary Energizers in chapter two. But, what details create the real meaning behind this word and what can we connect it to in the literature that our class has read this semester? The word proceeds from a political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli who lived in Italy during the Renaissance. He wrote a book called The Prince, which is known as a manual for rulers on how to seize and maintain power. This book makes up a new adjective, Machiavellian. The book has to do with craftiness, described as "Machiavellian". The author counseled reliance on fear rather than love and advocated lying if necessary. He thought these methods would make a ruler stronger and teach them how to gain authority and respect. With writing this book, Machiavelli developed craftiness, double-dealing and treachery in his mind, thus creating the adjective, Machiavellian.
To begin, Machiavellian is defined as unprincipled and crafty. Now, who do you know from our reading is unprincipled and crafty? Is there more than one person who is known as crafty or unprincipled? Write about one of the characters that we have studied that are unprincipled and/or crafty. What are they like? Give some examples supporting the fact that they are unprincipled or crafty. Who else do you know who can be related to this character? Are they as unprincipled or crafty as well? Write down your thoughts!
I think the suitors from the Odyssey are Machiavellian. They are completely unprincipled. They don't care that they are destroying Odysseus' home. They don't care that they eat all his food and practically live in house while they are trying to steal his wife. The suitors are also crafty, because they have many plots to undermine any competitor's strength and confidence. They do this many times to Telemachus. First, when they try to make him feel like he is being irrational when he mentions trying to find news of his father. They try to convince him that he is too young and the world is too dangerous. The second time is when they realize that Telemachus has left to look for news of his father. They begin planning an ambush for when he returns home. As the examples above show, the suitors are definitely Machiavellian, because of their unprincipled and crafty ways.
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