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MACHIAVELLIS POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND ITS IMPACT ON MODERN BRITISH FANTASY: TERRY PRATCHETT
Abstract
This article looks at connections and parallels between Machiavellis depiction of a state leader in his work The Prince and Pratchetts portrayal of a character ruling a city state in his fantasy novels. To accomplish this, we analyzed the character of Machiavelli and Pratchetts leaders and looked for similarities and differences in their statecraft. This paper will also look for intertextual connections as well as other Renaissance influence that can be traced in the British fantasy. One of Terry Pratchetts characters was modeled upon a base of an unostentatious leader who highly resembles the concept presented by Machiavellis work. The article is concerned with philosophical influence of the Italian politician and his notions on one of the most significant characters in the aforementioned fantasy series, on Lord Vetinari. In his time, Machiavellis publication changed the way people looked at political theory. It confronted the scholastic doctrine and declared the belief that a leader has to place virtues and honor at a pedestal. His work The Prince challenged both personal and professional ethics of a person placed in the position of ultimate power. The treatise was controversial and memorable; and consequently, it inspired the creation of now dubbed Machiavellian characters.
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References9
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