The political and historical writings of Niccolo Machiavelli have been subjected to intense scrutiny. Yet, in the face of a body of work that has provoked such commentary, Machiavelli's greatest comedy, the Mandragola, has been limited to literary analysis and brief political commentary. / Specifically, interpretations of the Mandragola have simply stressed the translation of realpolitik in The Prince into the terms of erotic intrigue and sexual farce in the Mandragola. This type of mapping by correspondences between genres has proved the interchangeability of seduction and conspiracy that makes politics ubiquitous in Machiavelli's work, but has not properly considered Machiavelli's intent on deriving the "verita effettuale della cosa." / Because the Mandragola reveals in comic form as significant a commentary on the political and human condition as The Prince, an extended study of the Mandragola is appropriate. Not only is the Mandragola subject to the same laws that govern the world of The Prince, but to penetrate the farce of the Mandragola will reveal a comic angle of vision that not only questions and challenges the political and social values of Renaissance society, but, like The Prince, carries with it tragic implications inherent in Machiavelli's conception of political foundation. / This dissertation consists of two main parts: the first part emphasizes the political works of Machiavelli, especially The Prince and The Discourses, and their relationship to the ideas of political foundation and maintenance; the second part concentrates on the Mandragola, especially the politically dark side of the comedy that pierces its comic trappings. Finally, it is proffered that the Mandragola may in fact go beyond Machiavelli's political presentments to suggest a more sobering world view that acknowledges farce and tragedy as interchangeable aspects of universal history itself. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-04, Section: A, page: 1077. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75557 |
| Contributors | PETERS, RICHARD., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 137 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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