Analysis of Machiavelli and Othelo in "The Prince"
Analysis of Machiavelli and Othelo in "The Prince"
In Machiavelli’s “The Prince” readers are provided with powerful insights to becoming a successful ruler. Niccolo breaks down into steps what a ruler must take into account in order to control the masses. The character of Lago in Shakespeare’s “Othello” seems to have studied and acted through Machiavelli’s teachings. Throughout the entire play his intentions towards empowerment are shown. Lago would have prevailed to be a top student in Machiavelli’s class with all his cunning and deception. For the paper, I will dig into Machiavelli’s teachings a little deeper to the real motives behind the man with power.
0, sir, content you.
I follow him to serve my turn upon him.
We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed (Shakespeare 5). lago is telling it how it is. There are those inclined to be leaders and those destined to be followers. it is lead to an individual’s personal will to decide on what end he or she shall stand. It is such a hypocrisy how Lago is given the name “honest” throughout the play just as many rulers have been given that false name. From the very beginning of “Othello”, readers can see the “fox” in Lago His character is greedy and his will to his goal is strong. He is strictly doing things for himself. lago represents a particular vision of Machiavellian ideology stemming from a self-interested quest for power and gain which
directly ignores the limits of social acceptance and traditional bonds. The only time he does honor such bonds in when it is benefiting his tactics for deception. An example of this is how he convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio for the love of Desdemonia
Machiavelli gives us the Lion and the fox to relate on the issue of maintaining power. These two animals are the two ways of fighting and combat. A balance must be reached between the two for success. The lion and the fox are related with regards to the attributes a prince must have to remain an effective ruler. The fox has the cunning while the lion maintains the strength. The strength of the lion is there to guard off enemies and the fox is the manipulator. I believe they are both mental aspects of our minds. These two thought processes enable anyone to achieve what it is they want. It all depends on how bad we...