Monday, February 13, 2006

Reading

• Richard III, Acts 3–4
• Niccolò Machiavelli, “From The Prince” (BC, 334–336)

Notes

During Shakespeare’s time, it was slanderous to call someone a Machiavel. We’ll be reading some material by Machiavelli, who was an astute political theorist, but whose ideas were thought to be at best subversive, at worst evil. Then we’ll consider how Machiavelli’s thought can inform our understanding of Richard III.

(There are some reasonably useful online resources about Machiavelli, including the Wikipedia entry. For a modern parallel to the original Machiavel, you might want to read up on Karl Rove.)

We’ll also continue considering the functions of disability within the play, as well as whatever other issues interest you.