Although the texts The Prince (1513) by Niccolo Ma Essays

Although the texts The Prince (1513) by Niccolo Machiavelli and William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (1599) are close to 100 years apart, they share commonality in the timeless lust for power that leaders have felt throughout the ages. Shakespeare reflects his context of a possibility of civil war through a historical play set in Rome, and Machiavelli provides the context of important power figures from history that can be used as parables to provide lessons on the nature of humans when dealing with power. Machiavelli and Shakespeare present various systems of governance where both favour monarchy as the most stable system despite Machiavelli being a staunch Republican. Power is ultimately seen as being gained through deception and violence and is kept through the different qualities of the leader, whether it be through the way they talk, or how they act and think. Both texts illustrate messages which not only apply to their times, but also to the modern lifestyle of power play, provi ng the texts to be of lasting relevance. One of the most distinctive qualities of Machiavelli's essay The Prince is its lack of interest in personal morality. Machiavelli's primary interest is in the end justifying the means and how the ambition for power can be achieved and maintained, thus leaving little room for questions of morality. The distinctive quality of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is the play's focus on the complex moral question of what would drive a good man to commit an evil act, believing he was doing it not for his own ambition but to curb the ambition of another. The reading of these two texts in relation to each other thus emphasises their distinctions rather than their similarities. Machiavelli, enmeshed in the world of political intrigue of Florence, believed that ambition drove men to action, but Shakespeare explores a more complex idea. He creates a character, not driven by personal ambition but by idealism; someone who is not driven by emotion but by reason and who will act because he fears another's ambition. In the process, Shakespeare recreates one of the traditions of Elizabethan theatre, the soliloquy. These direct speeches to the audience had been a way to share the character's motivation and prefigure their next move. Cassius' soliloquy after he tries to persuade Brutus to join the conspiracy is a typical example. Now Shakespeare changes the purpose of such direct speech, so it can reveal the inner workings of a character's mind: It must be by his death; and for my part I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general. He would be crowned. How that might change his nature, there's the question. At the start of this new scene Shakespeare trusts his audience to know whom Brutus speaks about. In four lines he moves from certainty, must', to the uncertainty of that question'. The broken rhythm using enjambment and mid-line caesura creates the effect of a man wrestling with his conscience and while he remains uncertain, So Caesar may', he later comes to a decision, Then, lest he may, prevent'. Machiavelli wrote that A good ruler should stick with the good if he can, but know how to be bad when occasion demands.' In Shakespeare's portrayal of Brutus we see this dramatized, but unlike Machiavelli who is interested in the outcome, Shakespeare appears more interested in the effect of such decisions on the individual. As a civil servant who had lost his position in the Florentine republic, Machiavelli's purpose was to flatter and impress the new absolute ruler and potential mentor, Lorenzo di Medici. Working in the humanist tradition of the Italian Renaissance, he uses the persuasive form of the essay, drawing examples from classical times and recent Italian political history. However, he breaks with that tradition by disregarding morality. Previous writers had considered what actions would be right; Machiavelli changes the equation by simply asking, what actions are effective? This caused many of his contemporaries to see him as an immoral monster and led to our modern understanding of the term Machiavellian'. It is not that he is unaware of the moral perspective - he just chooses to ignore it. He holds up Cesare Borgia as a touchstone for princely

Song Of Solomon Essays - Song Of Solomon, Milk, Pontius Pilate

Song Of Solomon Essays - Song Of Solomon, Milk, Pontius Pilate Song of Solomon Throughout the centuries many authors have attempted to capture the individuals quest for self-authenticity. In the novel Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison depicts the many aspects of self-actualization, as well as the tormenting road that leads to the shaping of an individual. Through beautiful language, with immense reality, she is able to describe young black mans journey as he uncovers his personal history, myth, and essence. The story revolves around generations, past and present, of a black family in the south. The character of Milkman (Macon Dead jr.) evolves through the descriptions, events, and experiences of others. His parents, Macon Dead sr., and Ruth Foster Dead, represent the wall-blocking Milkman from his true authentic identity. Many of Milkman's major problems are a direct result of his parents suffocating mistakes. Ruth breast-fed Milkman until he was six years old, hence the name Milkman. She was sexually repressed by her husband for twenty years, and used her young son as a substitute for sexual intimacy. Ruth believed that she possessed no authenticity, and that she was insignificant and isolated. By passing these negative attributes and emotions to Milkman she disturbed his natural process for growth, and ultimately left him feeling lost and insecure. Instead of encouraging Milkman to grow and mature, Ruth hoarded him into the world that she herself despised. Milkman's father, Macon Dead sr., became a ruthless money hound after his father, Jake, was shot and killed for his property. This devastating event from his childhood made him miserly, insensitive, and stingy. Macon Dead sr. becomes a money hungry machine because he does not want to suffer the same fate as his father. Macon Dead sr. fails to tell Milkman the reasons behind his miserly attitude. Thus creating an insurmountable gap between their relationship. Milkman's mother and father both thrust their personal fears on him adding to the destruction of his personal identity. Only after Milkman uncovers these tribulations behind his parents' identities, can he begin his quest for self-authenticity. By displacing the profound effect Milkman's parents have on his quest for self-actualization, Morrison is able to convey her theme of generational conflict. Without appropriate parental guidance, honesty, and explanation Milkman has trouble finding the authentic individual within himself. The inner turmoil within both Ruth and Macon Dear sr. reflects negatively upon Milkman, leaving him lost and unfocused. Morrison writes of this hole within Ruth, "?because the fact is that I am a small woman. I don't mean little; I mean small, and I'm small because I was pressed small. (p. 124)" Instead of accepting the problems with their own authenticity, both parents force their unauthentic values on Milkman. The overbearing needs of both parents result in Milkman's need to find his personal Identity in other places, other people. The individual who first inspires Milkman to discover his own identity is Pilate, the forbidden sister of Macon Dead sr. She is a mysterious woman, large, masculine, and frightening. Her brother abandoned her after years of support because she began making wine. Macon Dead sr. this drunken profession, and subsequently forbid Milkman to encounter her. Despite his father's wishes Milkman is intrigued by Pilate and quickly becomes absorbed in her magical, spiritual, fulfilling world. This was the same world that once held his father in awe. Morrison writes, "surrendering to the sound, Macon moved closer. He wanted no conversation, no whiteness, only to listen and perhaps to see the three of them, the source of that music that made him think of fields and of wild turkey and calico. (P.29)" By entering into Pilate's' home Milkman begins to question why his father acts the way he does. Through Pilate, Milkman discovers a past that seems lost within his father. This realization begi! ns Milkman's quest for self-authenticity. Milkman's flight to identity takes him many places. He is fortunate to have a friend, Guitar, who is also lost, and hunting for his authentic identity. The two pursue adventures and their contrasting personalities leave them wit ha wide perspective on events and experiences. While Milkman seems quiet, poetic, almost stumbling on his authentic self. Guitar is eager, outgoing, and aware of his needs. Morrison creates Pilate as a metaphor for a pilot, guiding Milkman through his quest. The