Machiavelli wrote his famous dissertation on power, The Prince, in 1517. In this tome, Machiavelli offers political leaders (royal or otherwise) rules for gaining, using, and keeping power. The Prince has been called “the greatest single study of power on record” (Berle 19). As such, it has served since the sixteenth century by for many as a blueprint for countless coups and acts of political maneuvering. Scholars see it The Prince as a clear, and often brutally honest, explanation of the nature of power. Despite the derision of Machiavelli’s ideas as evil, The Prince continues to be read and studied widely.
It is important to note before we continue, that this essay, and like Machiavelli himself, does not in any way attempt to consider, defend, or justify the…show more content… Both President Snow and President Coin repeatedly employ Machiavellian ideals in their efforts to hold and/or gain power throughout the series. Through a close examination of the text, we will examinethe reader will observe the ideas Machiavelli outlines within The Prince and how these are portrayed within The Hunger Games. Further, the essay will demonstrate howit can be argued that Machiavelli’s recommendations are the only logical course for President Snow and President Coin to pursue, given the situation in which they find themselves. [Not sure about the passivity of ‘they find themselves”; didn’t they, to some extent, create the situation (Snow in particular)?] Such an examination is valuable because it deepens our understanding of the complex political climate of the novels, and provides an accessible framework to illustrate and develop the reader’s understanding of Machiavellianism. Thuis, we will paper is organized aroundexamine the various lessons/ or themes Machiavelli sets out within The Prince with illustrative examples from the Hunger Games series
