The Role of Humor in Machiavelli’s Political Thought

• In Event: Modern Political Theory

Abstract

Harvey Mansfield has observed that “Perhaps no paragraph in The Prince and the Discourses can be fully understood until the reader has found something funny in it” (1979, 10). Machiavelli’s writing is indeed humorous, and scholars have noted his penchant for comedy when analyzing his plays Mandragola and Clizia. But what does his humor add to his political works? In this paper I examine the role of Machiavelli’s humor in The Prince, Discourses, and Life of Castruccio Castracani to suggest that his use of humor has at least three purposes: (1) to shield him from persecution while still allowing him to make provocative and blasphemous claims, (2) to entice readers to his ideas and reward them for paying careful attention, and (3) to question and undermine authority. With this analysis I also seek to demonstrate that Machiavelli’s use of humor in his political works underlies his democratic sensibilities.

Author

• Colleen Mitchell, Villanova University