Italian Lit Essay Proposal I

Machiavelli Paper Proposal

I would like to examine the relation of Machiavelli’s political theory to the works of The Leopard and The Betrothed. I would argue that Machiavelli’s advice to his Prince was well known enough during the times of both Manzoni and Lampedusa that they would have had to write their texts knowingly in either agreement or opposition. Though I cannot prove this fact for certain, by examining the characters of Don Rodrigo, the Unnamed, Don Fabrizio, Don Cologero, and Father Pirrone, I believe I can paint a clear connection between Machiavelli’s words and the characters’ actions. In addition to making the case for a connection, I would also argue that the religious slant of the two pieces was instrumental in deciding to agree or oppose The Prince.

To this end, I would argue that all five of my subjects represent a Machiavellian character, but each characters’ actions and ultimate fates at the end of the text reflect their author’s feelings. Don Rodrigo is a foreign power attempting to maintain control in his domain, while feeling entitled to his carnal intentions toward Lucia. He is ultimately destroyed for his self-serving abuse of power. The Unnamed employs his power in the same way, but is saved by the author through an act of expiation. Fabrizio and Cologero, exercise their power for their own benefit, which they believe will in turn benefit the larger state that they control. While the author does not necessarily paint these characters as successful, Fabrizio is able to maintain control much longer than his aristocratic counterparts and Cologero is able to lift his family out of obscurity. Both of these characters are able to accomplish their goals through an intellectual strategy that either bends morality or ignores it all together. Both believe that gaining and maintaining their power is beneficial to the good of the state.

Father Pirrone is a unique case. He will be used to highlight the actions of both Fabrizio and Cologero through his own actions and conversations in Cono. Lampedusa uses Pirrone to explain the motivations of the nobility.

For resources, I plan to use

Geerken, Jonh H. Machiavelli Studies Since 1969. Journal of the History of Ideas, Vol. 37, No.
2 Apr. - Jun., 1976, pp. 351-368

Kuhns, R.F. (1969). Modernity and Death: The Leopard by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa. Contemp.
Psychoanal., 5:95-118.

Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince, translated by N.H. Thomson. Vol. XXXVI, Part 1. The
Harvard Classics. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, 1909–14

Paolucci, Anne. “Comprendere Manzoni.” Comparative Literature Studies, Vol. 13, No. 4 Dec.,
1976, pp. 380-383