Analytical essay based on Machiavelli’s The Prince

Analytical essay based on Machiavelli’s “The Prince” (chapters 14-19), Citation should be from the book “The Prince” Essay question: Machiavelli is often referred to in discussions of politics, ethics, and philosophy through the use of the adjective based on his name: Machiavellian. This word is usually not used as a compliment! People might refer to a Machiavellian plan, idea, or act when they’re noting something unscrupulous, cynical, devious, or immoral. This is one way to interpret Machiavelli’s message. However, there are also other ways of reading this text and considering its arguments in a more positive light. Your task is to write an essay in which you analyze this text both from the traditional interpretation of Machiavelli as advising unscrupulous behavior and from another viewpoint showing some possible ways in which Machiavelli’s advice could be considered ethical. Note that I’m not asking you whether Machiavelli’s advice is effective, but rather, how it could possibly result in moral or ethical choices. In your conclusion, state which interpretation you favor overall, and why. Remember to narrow your topic to a discussion of several key points in the text. It’s also fine to write your thesis in two sentences. You should be as specific as possible, and you’re welcome to use examples from your own experience and observations. Behavior you’ve observed in an organizational or institutional setting might serve as an example. However, the essay should also be grounded in this text. Please be sure that each of your major points is linked back to Machiavelli in some way, either through a quote or paraphrase from his text. Part of the goal of the essay is to show that you have read and understood Machiavelli, though you should avoid summarizing. If you need to summarize briefly as you’re making a point, keep the summary to just 1-2 sentences at most. Each paragraph should consist mainly of your own analysis of Machiavelli’s ideas. There are different ways to organize an essay like this, and I’m not looking for a particular structure–only one that works for the points you wish to make. For example, you could divide the essay into two sections, each of which addresses one of the two areas of the question (i.e. the view of Machiavelli as immoral vs. moral). In this structure, you should still make sure that your thesis gives an overview of both parts of the paper. Alternatively, you could identify several key statements or passages and write about how the same words could be interpreted in different ways.