Your assignment is to write an essay of five or more pages, plus a work cited page. Your
essay must have a title, a thesis statement, a beginning, middle, and end. I suggest you use
prewriting techniques to generate ideas. Write an essay in which you analyze the excerpt from
Niccolo Machiavellis book,
The Prince
, that appears in our Barnet book. The purpose of an
analytical essay is to divide a topic into several sections in order to give the reader a better
understanding of it. Machiavellis thesis is this: . . . it is necessary for a prince [political leader]
wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or not according to
necessity (644). Machiavelli seems to be arguing here that the ends justify the means.
Based on Machiavellis arguments, does former President Richard M. Nixon (as
portrayed in director Oliver Stones film Nixon) represent a Machiavellian Prince? Why or
why not? If your answer is yes, explain how Nixon exemplifies the fictional Prince
Machiavelli writes about.
Please use examples from each of the following sources to support your thesis:
1.
Machiavellis
The Prince.
2.
Oliver Stones film
Nixon.
Is President Richard M. Nixon, as portrayed in the film, a
Machiavellian politician? If you are arguing against Machiavelli, you may use
examples of Nixons failures (such as the Watergate scandal and the bombing of
Cambodia) to support your argument. If you are arguing in favor of Machiavelli, you
may use examples of Nixons successes (such as the opening of friendly relations with
China) to support your thesis.
3.
Your own knowledge of politics and politicians. You may include information on the
historical Richard M. Nixon, and/or other historical or contemporary figures.
You may use other sources to support your points, but you must use the film
Nixon
and
the excerpt from Machiavellis
The Prince
in our Barnet book as sources in your essay. On the
next page is a sample works cited page using these sources. Your final draft must be typed word-
processed according to the MLA style.
Relax and have fun with this assignment!