"The Morals of the Prince" - Discussion

Question 1

SOAPSTONE

Answer 1

• S: Machiavelli, philosopher, pragmatist
• O: Medici, into graces
• A: princes (people of power)
• P: argue for pragmatic leadership
• S: allusions, cold logic, questions
• TONE: cold, calculating, easy, detached

Question 2

focus: ethos, pathos, logos appeals in argument

Answer 2

• Machiavelli appeals only to logos to support his arguments
• he also asks questions to appeal to the audience to show that his approach is practical
• he does not appeal to pathos at all. this is a hard argument to make and narrows the impact of your persuasiveness to only those who are exclusively practically minded
• you will have a more powerful argument if you use all three appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos

Question 3

step 1

Answer 3

Machiavelli

Question 4

step 2

Answer 4

incorporates

Question 5

step 3

Answer 5

authoritative diction

Question 6

step 4

Answer 6

to establish his credibility in arguing that certain “virtues” are harmful to a prince’s rule

Question 7

note

Answer 7

• compiles, establishes, develops
• it is ironic that to appear virtuous a leader must be awful
• repetition; antithesis
• that a good leader should be mean spirited
• parallel structure, irony