This was unexpectedly good. I read The Prince and this one is definitely up to it, although this was way comical, especially in the characterisation of the people. They were stock-types, just as Classic theatre's characters, but they were symbol of humanity in the negative. The story reminded me of Boccaccio's novellas of Decameron , particularly the ones about jokes with the use of intelligence. The moral of Mandragola is the negative essence of humanity and we can see that because any of the char This was unexpectedly good.
The moral of Mandragola is the negative essence of humanity and we can see that because any of the characters is innocent nor can be considered as a positive model.
The skepticism we find in The Prince is pretty clear in this book as well. Mar 14, Roberto rated it liked it Shelves: read-mys , fiction , comedy.
A short and dynamic comedy, the play portrays the reality of Machiavelli's time and seeks to apply a, let's say, non-moralizing lesson. In a surprising aesthetic turn, Machiavelli pumps out a slap-stick farce! In the opening of the play, the author presents a chorus of s In a surprising aesthetic turn, Machiavelli pumps out a slap-stick farce!
In the opening of the play, the author presents a chorus of shepherds and nymphs, who, in turn, provide a segue into the prologue, which… finally leads into the action of the play proper. What would this prologue to the prologue add to a contemporary adaptation of The Mandrake? Moving on to the prologue itself, Machiavelli offers an incredibly meta introduction to the play a la Plautus. In particular, the playwright seems preoccupied with illustrating his intent which happens to be wicked cynical.
Why did Machiavelli write The Mandrake? A weighty question to start an otherwise care-free comedy. The Mandrake showcases lots of idiom — why? Is this a common trope in Italian Renaissance drama? In addition to peppered idiom, Mandragola is rife with casual asides even in the form of full speeches. This would most certainly enhance the moral ambiguity of the play. On the other hand, would it sacrifice the laughs? I dunno… uncomfortable laughter is always pretty amusing, too.
Most notably, The Mandrake is chauvinistic in its central conceit: with the aid of Ligurio, Callimaco lies to Lucrezia and her husband Nicia in order to have sex with the heroine.
However, a director of a contemporary adaptation of The Mandrake should definitely consider this aspect of the play before mounting the production. Should contemporary directors continue to stage The Mandrake? Consideration of its misogyny should not serve as a deterrent from its staging.
If anything, this aspect of the play should become a jumping-off point for post-show conversation with the audience. Is The Mandrake chauvinistic? At one point, Callimaco notes that, when he does achieve what he wants bedding Lucrezia , he will most assuredly be dissatisfied as a result of the guilt associated with this grand deception. How much of this is the voice of Machiavelli?
With all its thematic ambivalence, The Mandrake offers directors lots of leeway for directorial interpretation. At its core, is the play cruelly deceptive? Blindly farcical? This kind of flexibility makes Mandragola a dream to direct. Nov 08, Phillip rated it really liked it Shelves: drama. This is a really interesting play because it seems like remarkably little happens.
The plot is quite short, and focuses mostly on one guy and his friend trying to trick this old man into letting the guy sleep with the old man's young attractive wife. Compared to modern plays or to something like Shakespeare, there is little action and comparatively little scheming. Things just seem to play directly out with no real major twists in the plot, which seems very odd to a modern reader used to suspens This is a really interesting play because it seems like remarkably little happens.
Things just seem to play directly out with no real major twists in the plot, which seems very odd to a modern reader used to suspense and reversals. One useful context for understanding this play is the comedia dell'arte tradition. I am not familiar enough with the comedia to really say whether it seems like Machiavelli is accurately and seriously using the form or whether he's satirizing it the way many historians now suggest that The Prince is a satire.
Apr 21, Lj rated it it was amazing Shelves: Absolutely brilliant work. Machiavelli shows his innovation and genius with this comedy. To preface this play, one must look at what style he was writing in. The Florentine theater had commissioned people to write plays in concordance with the norms of Roman Comedy.
Machiavelli, however, not only wrote this play in the native language but also set it in Florence, something that had never been done. All Greek and thus Roman Comedies were staged in Athens. Furthermore, he has created an entirely Absolutely brilliant work. Furthermore, he has created an entirely new plot. Something that had not been done since the days of Menander. Innovative conventions aside, this play was so hilarious and revolutionary that there is record of it having to stop during performance because the audience was stage rushing.
Just think about that People were stage rushing a play because it was so good. We only think of such an even occurring at a concert. Needles to say, this is one of the greatest if not the best comedies of the Renaissance. Jul 06, Alyson rated it liked it. Went in blind, no idea what to expect. What I was NOT expecting was essentially a comedy about rape. I disagree with other reviewers in that I don't see it as a rape apology play, it's just a comedy about rape I try to take a historian approach on it and view it through the lens of its time, but that did not make reading it any less uncomfortable.
But all that being said, it was very cleverly written; funny and witty and quickly paced. Very Macchiavellian; he who schemes best is best. I was entertained, and I kind of hate that. Unexpected for those who are unfamilliar with Machiavelli's cannon. This is the perfect little play for some light reading enjoyment. Nov 20, rated it it was amazing Shelves: politics , literature. Feb 11, Eric rated it liked it. The Prince as a lover; still funny years later. Jan 27, Madeleine rated it liked it.
It was pretty interesting! Made me think a lot about the characters. I'd love to see this live. This is a modern translation of a classic work of Machiavelli's that lampoons the sinful behavior and immorality of the people of his era.
It was okay, I suppose, but it didn't pop for me on the page. I had a hard time envisioning how to pull this off on stage. That said, the author who did the translation is Wallace Shawn, who many readers might recognize as the character of Vizzini in "The Princess Bride" "Inconceivable! Tom Hanks apparently played the character of Callimacho.
I may hav This is a modern translation of a classic work of Machiavelli's that lampoons the sinful behavior and immorality of the people of his era. I may have to read it again. Jan 15, Alice Domenis rated it it was amazing Shelves: liceo-classico , italy , fiction. I studied Machiavelli at school. We read the Prince of course and also this amusing comedy, which is, apparently it is still unclear as the many critics seem not to agree with each other , part of his political writings.
I enjoyed it because it is very funny. Maybe also Machiavelli wanted to have some pure fun from time to time. This was filthy and basically about two men, a wannabe lover and an unhappy husband, planning the rape of unhappy husband's wife. Spare yourself. Sep 13, Melissa Rudder rated it it was ok. Before I get to my problem with the play, however, I have to interject with a bit about the characters.
My favorite character was Messer Nicia, who was just about as dense as they come. The writing for him was extremely humorous and would be exponentially improved onstage, with the right actor, of course. Also to note is the rather fascinating Machiavellian characteristics of the characters.
Despite the unique quality of each, it can be argued for pretty much any character that he or she is doing anything to achieve his or her self-centered goal. Okay, I hate to pull this again, but I have to whip out a feminist critique. I was never really concerned with feminist issues I hold great disdain for , for instance until I began reading classic plays although I have to correct myself: this is a neoclassic play from the Italian Renaissance. The play is about a man who forces his wife to have sex with another man.
You should be able to pick up an aggravated tone from my text. I was forced to do this against my will—my dignity and honor was discarded—but God must have wanted it that way. Take me now. Machiavelli has a simplistic but amicable style, but he kills it with his plot. Nov 26, Otto Lehto rated it really liked it. A wonderful comedy from the master of early "realist" political philosophy. It's curious that there aren't that many contemporary performances of Mandragola, that I know of, which is a shame, because there's great potential here for mass-appealing raunchiness.
Teenagers and decadent liberals ought to love this piece. It would go down well on Broadway or late night TV. Low-brow humour and references to the male organ abound in Mandragola. Italy Country of Origin. Other Resources. Machiavelli's Life Machiavelli's Works. The comedy quickly gained popularity in other milieus, including the city of Venice during the … Please log in to consult the article in its entirety. If you are a member student of staff of a subscribing institution see List , you should be able to access the LE on campus directly without the need to log in , and off-campus either via the institutional log in we offer, or via your institution's remote access facilities, or by creating a personal user account with your institutional email address.
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This seems to sum up how the Mandragola can be addressed from different perspectives. As an allegory and satire, the play can indeed be seen as a didactic work. Brother Timothy is used by Machiavelli to achieve this effect. He convinces Lucrezia to sleep with another man only to be bribed by the men.
This is symbolic. It shows that Machiavelli could be referring to Lucrezia as Florence in the play. This shows the play can be a satirical allegory for the audience. Looking at the characters and the plot, the world in the play can arguably be considered as a Machiavellian world.
Many of the themes and characters fit into this model. Hence, this analysis shall also be considered with the concept of the play as a comical satire in the background. Under the influence of the Mandragola, we encounter a new variety of Machiavellianism, the Machiavellianism of daily life, the Machiavellianism of the daily household,..
It seems that it is desire that brings them all into action. Every character in the play has a goal, and that goal is driven by desire. Callimaco follows his sexual desire for Lucrezia to arrive at Florence. His desire for her makes him bribe Brother Timothy, use Ligurio and fool Nicia to sleep with his wife. Ligurio, the parasitic character in the play, has the goal of becoming rich by serving the rich.
He uses his keen observations about the elite to help them gain their desires. He helps Callimaco fool Nicia, even though the act of sleeping with his wife is adulterous. However, immorality does not seem to be a burden for anyone in this play, something that will be looked at further.
This desire even makes him allow another man to sleep with his wife. The death of a man for the purpose of having a male heir does not seem to disturb him. Brother Timothy justifies his desire for money. Lucrezia herself gets to know what she wants at the end of the play — and that is Callimaco as her lover. The fact that everyone is driven by desire in the play makes the world a very material one, and in fact, a Machiavellian world.
The materialism surrounding everyone in the play further embellishes it as satire — showing that Machiavelli wished to give a message. As explained above, desire brings all the characters into action.
Nicia as well, is ready to kill a man to succeed in having a male heir. Lucrezia is willing to fool her husband into giving Callimaco a key to have him as her lover.
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