Essay --

According to Niccolo Machiavelli’s, The Prince, there are five traits that make up a successful leader. The five traits that are necessary in determining a leader’s success involve being feared, being virtuous, having the support of the people, having intelligence and the use of arms. In this paper, I will argue that the Duke Vincentio of William Shakespeare’s, Measure for Measure, is an ineffective leader because he loses virtue acting deceitful and spying on his subjects as a friar. Also, when he realizes that his people do not fear him, he allows for Angelo to come so that he can win their respect by becoming the better option of the two. It is portrayed by his constant presence in the play as the friar, that instead of earning the support of his people, he treats them as puppets and himself as the master puppeteer. The people do not fear the Duke so he tries to win them over another way; he selfishly puts Angelo in power, knowing that Angelo’s faults will make the Duke look like a better leader. The duke is a soft ruler and cannot bring himself to punish his people when they commit a crime. When his loses the respect and fear of his people, he puts Angelo in charge of the people, knowing that he may not be fit for the task. The duke may have saw putting Angelo in power and dressing as a friar as a way to establish law and order in Vienna but still being the merciful leader he is known as. When the Duke asks Lord Angelo to take over, Angelo refuses and says that his skill must be tested some other way first. The Duke responds by saying: My haste may not admit it; Not need you, on mine honour, have to do With any scruple: your scope is as mine own, So to enforce or qualify the laws As to your soul seems good. Give me you... ...e is going to tell next to deceive his power. Throughout his presence in the play as the friar, the Duke is never recognized as his true self. This portrays an intelligent man, experienced in the art of scheming and lying. Niccolo Machiavelli would classify the Duke as an ineffective ruler because he fails to uphold virtue when constantly deceives his subjects. The duke may be intelligent in his scheming ways, but this is the only on of Machiavelli’s five traits that the Duke portrays throughout the play. His people does not fear the Duke Vincentio as Machiavelli believes a good leader should be and he tries to steal the respect of his people by putting a harsh ruler into power. His huge role in the play both as his role as the friar and the Duke, shows that instead of earning the support of his people, he treats them as puppets and himself as the master puppeteer.