The Machiavellian Villain

Alexis Rose, Ellie Coberly, Jasmine Lamoureux & Michael Perez

Who was Niccolò Machiavelli?
Ma-kē-ə-ˈve-lē

Writer, Diplomat (1469–1527)

The Prince, a handbook for unscrupulous politicians that inspired the term "Machiavellian" and
established its author as the "father of modern political theory."

He was born in Florence, Italy on May 3, 1469 and died on June 21,1527

“He worked as a diplomat for 14 years.during the Medici family exile He then wrote The Prince,
a handbook for politicians on the use of ruthless, self-serving cunning”.( “Niccolò Machiavelli.”)
Machiavellian’s beliefs and values
● Machiavelli believes “...generosity as nothing but a sham, and not even a
useful one.” (“Moral Values” The Prince Project)
● He uses “political realism: his intention to speak only of the “effectual
truth” of politics” (“What Can You Learn from Machiavelli?” Yale Insights)
● “It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”
How is Machiavellian still with us today?
Even though Machiavelli’s ideas stem from up to 500 years ago, his principles
are still very relevant to society today:

Machiavelli’s views can be seen in both politics and the business world;
overall applying to any situation where an individual leads or claims
power. (Scott and Zaretsky)

The world today is influenced by the idea of taking risks. In Machiavelli’s

eyes taking a risk is what being in a leadership role is about.

Machiavellian views still last in society today because of the truths that
they show throughout politics and leadership. (Raymond)
How those in Shakespeare's time reacted to these
views
● Divine Kingship vs. ¨ The Prince¨
● Redefined the blueprint of power
● Condemned by all churches and powers of the time (Thompson)
Modern Villains
● Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne in Gone Girl
● Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise in It
● Rachel McAdams as Regina George in Mean Girls
● Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter
● Nick Castle as Michael Myers in Halloween
● Pat Carroll as Ursula in The Little Mermaid
● Josh Brolin as Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War
Citations
Ignatius, David. ¨Donald Trump Is The American Machiavelli¨ The Washington Post, WP Company, 10 Nov. 2016.

“Moral Values.” The Prince Project: Machiavellian Rule, princeprojectmachiavellianrule.weebly.com/moral-values.html#generosity.

¨Niccolò Machiavelli.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 16 Jan. 2019.

Raymond, Jessica. ¨Machiavelli In The Modern World: A Closer Look Into What It Takes To Be A Successful Leader¨ Digital Columns, Digital
Columns at Salem University, 1 May 2017.

Scott, John T., and Robert Zaretsky. ¨Why Machiavelli Still Matters¨ The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 Dec. 2013

“What Can You Learn from Machiavelli?” Yale Insights, Yale School of Management, 13 Mar. 2017,
insights.som.yale.edu/insights/what-can-you-learn-machiavelli.

Wheeler, Kip. “Niccolò Machiavelli and ‘The Prince.’” Confucius and Confucianism, 2017, web.cn.edu/kwheeler/machiavelli.html.

“A Short Look at Machiavellian Women in Film....” Close-Up Film, 9 Jan. 2018, www.close-upfilm.com/2015/10/machiavellian-women-film/.

Thompson “Machiavelli.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 23 Mar. 2018, www.history.com/topics/renaissance/machiavelli.