Resource must be: The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Second Edition — ISBN: 9780226500447
Machiavelli writes throughout The Prince of the necessary quality that all successful princes have: virtú (virtue). What, exactly, does Machiavelli mean by the word, “virtu”? In can mean courage, audacity; honesty, cunning or treachery; violence, or sometimes generosity. “Virtu” can mean be both bad and good qualities! Develop a thesis that isolates three of the most common traits, qualities, or characteristics that Machiavelli speaks of as “virtuous” and that makes for the most successful princes who are able to cultivate and employ them?
The essay must be 2000 words in Times new Rowman 12 font, double-spaced.
Suggested title: Important Virtús for Successful Princes
A minimum of 2 quotes per page in MLA format, i.e. (Maciavelli, 67-68). For passages that contain 2 or 3 sentences, include the quote in the body of the paper, for passages longer than 3 sentences, use block quotations.
Paper must be thesis-driven that proposes a clear, identifiable, and well-defined thesis, not simply rephrasing the question/prompt. The paper is making a argument that the thesis reflects and should take a debatable position that responds to the prompt.
The three virtues that I propose are:
A. Warrior skills (power/strength)
B. Fear/cruelty vs. mercifulness
C. Astuteness (cleverness/shrewdness) vs honesty
Proposed lead in sentence and thesis:
Machiavelli stresses in the Prince the importance of having a knowledge of ignoble virtues ahead of noble virtues because to do the most basic requirement of a prince, one must grasp how harm can occur so that it can either be prevented by him or kept hidden from others. Knowledge being the most powerful tool that Machiavelli could gift to the prince, the self-interested virtues of power, fear, and cleverness will give way to his survival while remaining in power.
The paper should be a minimum of 6 paragraphs. The first an introduction paragraph with the lead-in sentence and thesis as the last two sentences. The second paragraph should define virtu/virtue as defined by Machiavelli in The Prince. The rest of the body of the essay should focus on the 3 virtues listed above and can be compared/contrasted to the opposing virtue: A successful prince must be clever/shrewd opposed to honesty……, The final paragraph should conclude the essay and the final sentence should restate the thesis written above.
Other instructions:
Avoid an overly general introduction attempting to draw connections between all of literature/human history, etc…, Intro must engage the reader and state why the thesis matters. Don’t over-generalize or simply restate/summarizing the contents of your paper in a concluding paragraph: this rarely adds anything of value to your paper, and takes up space better used in developing your argument. Do waste space giving plot summaries or works background: everything written must relate directly to the argument stated in the thesis.
Support arguments with specific quotations and citations from key passages of the primary works we have read. (again 2 quotes per essay page)
Use formal writing tone and avoid overly subjective, first-person statements and opinions – focus on what the authors of the assigned texts think and say.
Suggested outline for essay:
II. Introduction
A. Define virtue according to Machiavelli
B. Warrior skills (power/strength)
C. Fear/cruelty vs. mercifulness
D. Astuteness (cleverness/shrewdness) vs honesty
E. Thesis: Machiavelli stresses in the Prince the importance of having a knowledge of ignoble virtues ahead of noble virtues because to do the most basic requirement of a prince, one must grasp how harm can occur so that it can either be prevented by him or kept hidden from others. Knowledge being the most powerful tool that Machiavelli could gift to the prince, the self-interested virtues of power, fear, and cleverness will give way to his survival while remaining in power.
III. Define virtu according to Machiavelli
A. Chapt 15 lists 11 virtus. I would list these 11 and as the last sentence state that 3 will be discussed in detail.
1. Liberal
2. Mean
3. Giver vs Rapacious – greedy
4. Cruel vs merciful
5. Breaker of faith vs faithful
6. effeminate – unmanly, and pusillamimous – coward vs fierce and spirited
7. humane vs proud
8. lascivious (lewd, offensive sexually) vs chaste (innocent/virtuous)
9. hard vs agreeable
10. grave vs light hearted
11. religious vs non-believer
B. Machiavelli defines virtu as one having skills, intelligence, strength, and forethought of a ruler. Virtu enables one to be successful in gaining power and keeping it.
C. Machiavelli’s virtu is different from the virtue because the term virtu does not focus on having high morals as the term virtue does
IV. Warrior skills (power/strength) – Chapt 14
A.
- Quote: “one has to remark that men ought either to be well treated or crushed because they can revenge themselves of lighter injuries, but of more serious ones they cannot.” (ch 3)
-do the noble thing to make someone happy or do the ignoble thing and make sure that no one can retaliate.
- Quote: “It teaches him to surprise his enemy, to select places to camp, to lead armies, to organize the soldiers in a battle and to besiege towns in the best way” (ch 15)
-a warrior needs to understand his land so that it can be defended and apply the same knowledge to enemy land so their defenses are mitigated.
V. Fear/cruelty vs mercifulness – Chapt 17
A.
- Quote: “whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person it is much safer to be feared than loved, when only one is possible.”
– Being feared or being loved is irrelevant as long as you are successful. As a prince, fear is the easiest path to control of others and as long as he is respected, he will not be hated.
VI. Astuteness (cleverness/shrewdness) vs honesty – Chapt 18
A.
- Quote: “This is because the common people are always influenced by what a thing seems to be and by what results from it” (ch 18)
– The prince should be self-interested in his actions. It is acceptable to be dishonest or go back on your word as long as you can keep the appearance of honesty with the people and demonstrate your success.
VII. Conclusion
A. Define virtue according to Machiavelli
B. Warrior skills (power/strength)
C. Fear/cruelty vs. mercifulness
D. Astuteness (cleverness/shrewdness) vs honesty
E. Restate thesis using different words than that was written in the intro paragraph: Machiavelli stresses in the Prince the importance of having a knowledge of ignoble virtues ahead of noble virtues because to do the most basic requirement of a prince, one must grasp how harm can occur so that it can either be prevented by him or kept hidden from others. Knowledge being the most powerful tool that Machiavelli could gift to the prince, the self-interested virtues of power, fear, and cleverness will give way to his survival while remaining in power.
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Get The Answer The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
Resource must be: The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Second Edition — ISBN: 9780226500447
Machiavelli writes throughout The Prince of the necessary quality that all successful princes have: virtú (virtue). What, exactly, does Machiavelli mean by the word, “virtu”? In can mean courage, audacity; honesty, cunning or treachery; violence, or sometimes generosity. “Virtu” can mean be both bad and good qualities! Develop a thesis that isolates three of the most common traits, qualities, or characteristics that Machiavelli speaks of as “virtuous” and that makes for the most successful princes who are able to cultivate and employ them?
The essay must be 2000 words in Times new Rowman 12 font, double-spaced.
Suggested title: Important Virtús for Successful Princes
A minimum of 2 quotes per page in MLA format, i.e. (Maciavelli, 67-68). For passages that contain 2 or 3 sentences, include the quote in the body of the paper, for passages longer than 3 sentences, use block quotations.
Paper must be thesis-driven that proposes a clear, identifiable, and well-defined thesis, not simply rephrasing the question/prompt. The paper is making a argument that the thesis reflects and should take a debatable position that responds to the prompt.
The three virtues that I propose are:
A. Warrior skills (power/strength)
B. Fear/cruelty vs. mercifulness
C. Astuteness (cleverness/shrewdness) vs honesty
Proposed lead in sentence and thesis:
Machiavelli stresses in the Prince the importance of having a knowledge of ignoble virtues ahead of noble virtues because to do the most basic requirement of a prince, one must grasp how harm can occur so that it can either be prevented by him or kept hidden from others. Knowledge being the most powerful tool that Machiavelli could gift to the prince, the self-interested virtues of power, fear, and cleverness will give way to his survival while remaining in power.
The paper should be a minimum of 6 paragraphs. The first an introduction paragraph with the lead-in sentence and thesis as the last two sentences. The second paragraph should define virtu/virtue as defined by Machiavelli in The Prince. The rest of the body of the essay should focus on the 3 virtues listed above and can be compared/contrasted to the opposing virtue: A successful prince must be clever/shrewd opposed to honesty……, The final paragraph should conclude the essay and the final sentence should restate the thesis written above.
Other instructions:
Avoid an overly general introduction attempting to draw connections between all of literature/human history, etc…, Intro must engage the reader and state why the thesis matters. Don’t over-generalize or simply restate/summarizing the contents of your paper in a concluding paragraph: this rarely adds anything of value to your paper, and takes up space better used in developing your argument. Do waste space giving plot summaries or works background: everything written must relate directly to the argument stated in the thesis.
Support arguments with specific quotations and citations from key passages of the primary works we have read. (again 2 quotes per essay page)
Use formal writing tone and avoid overly subjective, first-person statements and opinions – focus on what the authors of the assigned texts think and say.
Suggested outline for essay:
II. Introduction
A. Define virtue according to Machiavelli
B. Warrior skills (power/strength)
C. Fear/cruelty vs. mercifulness
D. Astuteness (cleverness/shrewdness) vs honesty
E. Thesis: Machiavelli stresses in the Prince the importance of having a knowledge of ignoble virtues ahead of noble virtues because to do the most basic requirement of a prince, one must grasp how harm can occur so that it can either be prevented by him or kept hidden from others. Knowledge being the most powerful tool that Machiavelli could gift to the prince, the self-interested virtues of power, fear, and cleverness will give way to his survival while remaining in power.
III. Define virtu according to Machiavelli
A. Chapt 15 lists 11 virtus. I would list these 11 and as the last sentence state that 3 will be discussed in detail.
1. Liberal
2. Mean
3. Giver vs Rapacious – greedy
4. Cruel vs merciful
5. Breaker of faith vs faithful
6. effeminate – unmanly, and pusillamimous – coward vs fierce and spirited
7. humane vs proud
8. lascivious (lewd, offensive sexually) vs chaste (innocent/virtuous)
9. hard vs agreeable
10. grave vs light hearted
11. religious vs non-believer
B. Machiavelli defines virtu as one having skills, intelligence, strength, and forethought of a ruler. Virtu enables one to be successful in gaining power and keeping it.
C. Machiavelli’s virtu is different from the virtue because the term virtu does not focus on having high morals as the term virtue does
IV. Warrior skills (power/strength) – Chapt 14
A.
- Quote: “one has to remark that men ought either to be well treated or crushed because they can revenge themselves of lighter injuries, but of more serious ones they cannot.” (ch 3)
-do the noble thing to make someone happy or do the ignoble thing and make sure that no one can retaliate.
- Quote: “It teaches him to surprise his enemy, to select places to camp, to lead armies, to organize the soldiers in a battle and to besiege towns in the best way” (ch 15)
-a warrior needs to understand his land so that it can be defended and apply the same knowledge to enemy land so their defenses are mitigated.
V. Fear/cruelty vs mercifulness – Chapt 17
A.
- Quote: “whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person it is much safer to be feared than loved, when only one is possible.”
– Being feared or being loved is irrelevant as long as you are successful. As a prince, fear is the easiest path to control of others and as long as he is respected, he will not be hated.
VI. Astuteness (cleverness/shrewdness) vs honesty – Chapt 18
A.
- Quote: “This is because the common people are always influenced by what a thing seems to be and by what results from it” (ch 18)
– The prince should be self-interested in his actions. It is acceptable to be dishonest or go back on your word as long as you can keep the appearance of honesty with the people and demonstrate your success.
VII. Conclusion
A. Define virtue according to Machiavelli
B. Warrior skills (power/strength)
C. Fear/cruelty vs. mercifulness
D. Astuteness (cleverness/shrewdness) vs honesty
E. Restate thesis using different words than that was written in the intro paragraph: Machiavelli stresses in the Prince the importance of having a knowledge of ignoble virtues ahead of noble virtues because to do the most basic requirement of a prince, one must grasp how harm can occur so that it can either be prevented by him or kept hidden from others. Knowledge being the most powerful tool that Machiavelli could gift to the prince, the self-interested virtues of power, fear, and cleverness will give way to his survival while remaining in power.
Previous answers to this question
This is a preview of an assignment submitted on our website by a student. If you need help with this question or any assignment help, click on the order button below and get started. We guarantee authentic, quality, 100% plagiarism free work or your money back.
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