Machiavelli’s Ironies: The Language of Praise and Blame in The Prince

The standard “realist” reading of The Prince assumes that the book is a straightforward treatise whose various maxims and examples Machiavelli recommends in earnest. But there are good reasons to doubt whether The Prince always speaks in Machiavelli’s own voice. The book is full of artfully crafted ambiguities that challenge its own most loudly asserted views. One of its neglected features is Machiavelli’s patterned use of words that seem to praise individuals or actions, yet subtly question their prudence. If we decode The Prince’s ironic language, we discover a brilliant critique of charismatic one-man rule and imperial politics.