Comparing Machiavelli's The Prince 'And Julius Caesar'
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Year 12 HSC Advanced English – Module A – Comparative Study of Texts and Contexts
Elective 2 – Intertextual Perspectives Essay – The Prince and Julius Caesar
5/6/15
Bailey Gillon
Essay
What common values and attitudes are explored in Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar?
The appeal of a text in today’s society lies in its prevailing attitudes and values in the wake of the inevitable nature of changing times, contexts and audiences. Ultimately, the composer allows for the expression of the attitudes and values through the perspectives established in the text. It is in both Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince (1513) Julius Caesar (1599) that common values and attitudes are explored through the use of various literary techniques…show more content… This is emphasized in chapter 26, where Machiavelli encourages the Medici family to unite Italy for the greater good of the Italian people and nation, upholding the family and their strong, central leadership as admirable. Here, the tone is passionate and poetic, in contrast to the dry and straightforward, direct style of the rest of the book. The quote “What I can’t see is any family the country could put its faith in right now if not your illustrious house, blessed as it is with fine qualities and fortune’ proves this to be the case. Ultimately, all of Machiavelli's observations and advice about the state, the prince and successful leadership have been directed toward this aim, to bring forth the leader who will unify Italy and liberate it from its enemy – the Medici Family, seen once again in “And is you keep in mind the lives and achievements of the men I’ve written about, the project won’t be too difficult” and “The limbs are healthy and strong, all they need is a head to guide