Virtu And Fortuna Essays - Italian Politicians, Machiavellianism

Virtu and Fortuna Virtu and Fortuna Under close scrutiny, The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli is seen to be a mind-baffling construct of many levels of meaning, and, many might say, enigmatically so. It is hard to determine where Machiavelli is writing in earnest and where in sarcasm or self-condemnation. As John Plamenatz says, the perverse Machiavelli "likes to make himself out worse than he is. He likes at times to shock his contemporaries..." No doubt he succeeds. The important message here, though, is that the reader can never be positive of Machiavelli's real views. The same is true in considering the significance of the terms virtu and fortuna (and their several translations), so often used by Machiavelli to drive home his points. But by looking at many possibilities for their frequent and seemingly suggestive usages, and at some of the ancient thought with which Machiavelli was supremely familiar, we can arrive at a satisfactory speculation, we can discuss the web weaved by Machiavelli in his profes! sions. The first, most obvious purpose of The Prince is stated by the author himself, addressing Lorenzo de' Medici: If you will read [this book] over and study it carefully, you will recognize in it my most earnest desire that you may achieve that summit of grandeur to which your happy destiny and your other capacities predestine you. And if from that summit Your Magnificence will occasionally glance down at these humble places, you will recognize how unjustly I suffer the bitter and sustained malignity of fortune. Clearly there is a sizeable amount of cajolery occurring here (and also foreshadows the following discussion of fortune and virtue), and this same stroking of Lorenzo's ego continues through the book, with slight references to how fit to rule this prince is, how "virtuous," how fated to be the incredible Prince for whom Machiavelli writes. It could easily be said that with this book the author may have trying to ingratiate himself to all the local nobility; on the other hand, knowing what follows might also suggest that Machiavelli was really attempting to play off the nobility's fears of chaos and insecurity, guaranteeing safety if they read his short piece. The second possible purpose--definitely an outcome--is the creation of a learned historical discourse. I will leave out examples; it suffices to say that The Prince encompasses many centuries of human history, many deeply researched examples of politico-military events, and so on. True, they serve enforce his ideas on "virtuous government," but they also seve the modern historian in his search for original sources. A third possible purpose of The Prince might be to outline the ideal government or, if not the ideal, the most virtuous or the best possible. It is in this purpose, the same goal pursued by countless political thinkers in history, that we extract much of what the current age considers Machiavellian. The lord most would consider ruthless and cold, but whom Machiavelli names a virtuoso, is but one (probably Cesare Borgia, son of Sixtus IV) character in the book. The author's supposedly cruel way of equating bad with good is traditionally what has gotten him into hot water. The fact is, however, that Machiavelli never truly addresses the issues of bad and good, right and wrong, these absolute judgments most people would, I think, claim him to make. Machiavelli, in laying out the "best" government, does so from a completely political and pragmatic point of view, by what works, what is possible, and, really, what for his prince results in the most power and security. The auth! or carries out this investigation using two parameters in particular, the Italian virtu and fortuna. They can be translated in many ways (Robert M. Adams has done it very nicley so I shall not repeat them here) which is part of what gives the book its depth. In general, though, the spirit Machiavelli attaches to these two crucial words resembles the following. Virtu embodies a paragon or paradigm; the virtuous man takes action, he anticipates and exhibits resolve, shrewdness and aptitude. Above all, he commits himself to politically sound, whole-hearted efforts. Politics here reign supreme; while he does acknowledge that there are ideals in the world, he asserts that it is futile to discuss them because

Writing a College Admission Essay - Tips For Writing and Applying

Writing a College Admission Essay - Tips For Writing and ApplyingSample essays for admissions to an undergraduate college or university are, like any other type of essay, unique in their own way. It is the intent of this article to give students the ability to tailor their admissions essays to fit their specific needs. In doing so, these students will also be able to customize them to fit their personal profiles. In addition, this article will give students the opportunity to follow the guidelines found in most sample essays.An essay, and all writing, is an expression of a person's thought process, opinion, feelings, or a combination of both. It is important that students use this same level of thought and speech on their admission essays. When the student expresses his or her opinion in this way, this serves as a reflection of his or her character and their unique perspective on the matter at hand. Students can choose to use an ad copy in their admission essay or not to use one at a ll.As far as writing an essay goes, the basic structure is the same. Writing an essay that can be approved for an essay examination is a very tall order. Some writers, due to pressure from teachers or parents, may start out with a compelling title but quickly lose interest and become disinterested.The first thing a student should remember when writing an essay is that he or she is not obligated to write the entire essay. Instead, it is better to choose one or two chapters to concentrate on. These chapters should have some depth to them and should be centered around an issue that the student believes will be important to them in their future school.The essay should be focused and ensure that the writer puts his or her thoughts in writing. This means the essay should contain all types of information that is relevant to the topic at hand. Using this technique helps the writer get past any fear that he or she might have about trying to express themselves through writing. It is very easy to know that someone's opinion is unique only to the individual.The subject line is very important when writing an essay. It is easy to write one that will 'wow' an admissions committee. However, a well written piece that will definitely pass muster with these committees requires a more subtle approach. You want to make sure that the writing style is professional. It is always important to be positive and to write from a place of the most confidence possible.Research is another tool to use. Since you are not writing for an admissions committee, you do not need to be an expert on every single aspect of college life. However, you do need to be knowledgeable enough about the school's history and current programs that will pertain to your future academic endeavors. This helps the reader know that you have taken the time to gather your knowledge in a concise manner.Writing an admissions essay for college admissions is not difficult, but it takes a bit of practice to create a well-writte n piece that is acceptable. You want to remember that there is no right or wrong in writing an essay. It is always best to research carefully and allow yourself to speak from a well researched ground. Follow the sample essay guidelines carefully and you will be on your way to creating a well-written essay that will get your attention.