Italian philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli is best known for writing political, philosophical discourses such as The Prince, an analytical treatise on the nature of human morality in juxtaposition with the political world and the sacrifices it demands in order for one to thrive in its competitive realm of power. Although Machiavelli puts forth many proposals pertaining to the acquisition and conservation of authoritative status (especially the relationship between the abstractions of virtù and Fortuna), his underlying words provide insight into his perceptions of gender designations in accordance to how they reflect the societal norms of 16th century Italy. From a modern interpretation, Machiavelli's words may hold a rather misogynistic view towards women, but it is also important to consider the instances in which he hints at the admiration he holds for individual female figures within his writings — from his wide-spread political treatises within the public eye, to intimate love letters from the private spheres of his personal life. It is impossible to formulate all of Machiavelli's claims into one synonymous definition, but by contextualizing the assertions made outside of his official treatises, one will realize that his patriarchal statements are but a mere a product of his time and thus do not epitomize nor encompass the diverse claims he makes about women. |
Machiavelli's influence on the Italian Renaissance is profound not only due in part to his literary contributions to the political realms of power, but also his involvement (and obstructions) in the affairs of state and religion. Born in 1469 to a family of political involvement in Florence, Italy, Niccolò Machiavelli was raised in an environment without the esteemed privileges of wealth and elite status (Atkinson, James B., et al., pp. 14-30). His father was a practitioner of law, and provided him with an education in humanities, languages, and sciences. Italian society at this time, and well into Machiavelli's years of producing government writings in Florence, was preoccupied with the expulsion of the Medici family; and with this, he became even more involved with the diplomatic missions of the Roman Papacy and the Florentine militia (Viroli, Maurizio). Machiavelli's upbringing, professional spheres, and the society of which he was raised in are key elements towards understanding the intrinsic motivations behind his words, especially when differentiating the narrative tone and structure of his public work with that of his private and personal words.
Despite its popularity among ambitious male figures aspiring to attain power, Machiavelli’s most popular work The Prince (1532) was a catalyst of religious upheaval because it clashed with the dominant ethical principles of Catholicism at the time due to the abrasive morals it promoted. The notion that immoral acts are justified in the precedence of survival and protecting one’s honor was not well received by the Roman Catholic Church. Such a backlash is ironic, however, as the ideological persona (i.e. the “Prince”) which Machiavelli exemplifies within his treatise was modeled after Cesare Borgia, the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI, who had once occupied the rank of Cardinal. One of the most prominent topics that Machiavelli discusses within The Prince is the concept of fortune (or, Fortuna) and how it is established and sought after through ambitious individual action rather than a conscious hope for success. If, for instance, two individuals both apply the same methods towards achieving the same objective, why is it that one will often succeed while the other fails? To Machiavelli, the answer is a bit complex — but the answer becomes even more complex when bringing gender polarities into the picture. | C E S A R E B O R G I A |
The feminine personification of the term "Fortune" (Fortuna) comes to a more comprehensive understanding near the end of The Prince. Up until then, Machiavelli conceptualizes Fortune as a flood which can be restrained with dikes, but only for given amount of time. He then shifts this interpretive image to that of a human woman (Cavallo, Jo Ann, et al., pp. 123-148). Interestingly enough, Machiavelli makes it noted that he himself is subjected to Fortune's authority, as "her natural power for all men is too strong and her reign is always violent if prowess still greater than hers does not vanquish her." He also emphasizes the negative forces that of which she is capable of relinquishing — a realm of dominance of which there is no escape: "Over a palace open on every side she reigns, and she deprives no one of entering, but the getting out is not sure." Finally, Machiavelli personifies Fortune as a woman who is, in fact, not an enemy of men, but rather an abstract of their image: "She [Fortune] is a friend of young men, because they are less cautious, more spirited, and with more boldness master her." |
Fortune has the ability to be destructive, yes, but also persistent as she "has the power to do what she wishes…She [Fortune] is able to build upon her power and change the world of men leaving them only to attempt to pacify her. This is a strong power that a man claimed to be misogynistic bestows upon a woman" (Valedon-Morciglio, Sarimer). The means in which Fortuna exerts her authority is an exemplification of virtù – the same goal that which Machiavelli pushes his male readers to strive after. Fortuna does not concern herself with "the consequences or the people that suffer from the actions; Fortuna is only concerned with what she wishes. This is reminiscent of how Machiavelli urges the Prince to do what is necessary to achieve his goals, even if it means doing bad deeds" (Cavallo, Jo Ann, et al., pp. 123-148). Although the connotations of all of these quotations are an often a cause for ambiguity, they do promote the fellowship and empowerment of women nevertheless. |
Although it is difficult to summarize Machiavelli's views on women (since the interpretations of his claims are often widespread and contradictory), blindly labeling him as a "misogynist" only because of a handful of profound statements he makes is not effective towards understanding the underlying motivations behind his different areas of work. Perhaps if he were to have uplifted women far too openly within his public treatises, his readers would undermine his political authority and object to his advice. Such controversy could potentially lead to his downfall — the same demise of which he warns his readers of within The Prince. With that said, Machiavelli subconsciously keeps his target audience in mind when it comes to his public works and their spheres of influence.
The following statement is perhaps the most infamous, controversial statement made by Machiavelli:
"Fortune is a woman and it is necessary, in order to keep her under, to cuff and maul her." |
As best contextualized by Jo Ann Cavallo, "this expression of aggressivity is not linked to hostility against women, but is rather directed against the overwhelming power of Fortune and, more concretely, against the foreign troops that —like the uncontrollable flood just evoked— had in recent years repeatedly invaded and violated a defenseless Italy." It is undisputed that Machiavelli makes enough of these negative claims throughout his writings for one to form the argument that he holds a misogynistic view. However, his generalizations of women as a whole are a conventional reflection of Italian literature during the 16th century: "Women had a complex and belittled position in Florentine society; they not always enjoyed the progress of the period. The Renaissance might have brought a wave of advancements but it was not equal for women. While there was an increase of literacy among women during these centuries, the traditional use of Latin for political tradition was never present among women. In fact, some historians still question if women had a Renaissance at all" (Valedon-Morciglio, Sarimer, pp. 26). With that said, it is critical to note the society that of which Machiavelli conceptualizes his public literatures upon, and to be considerate of the differing claims he makes.
The criticisms Machiavelli pits against women overall are seemingly the opposite when discussing his own confrontations with individual female figures. What makes a woman worthy of acknowledgement within a treatise catered towards an ambitious male audience? While on the subject of The Prince, Machiavelli does not abstain from mentioning individual women, many of which he outwardly conveys his admiration for. This is especially the case for Caterina Sforza, a noblewoman whom he emphasizes to great lengths within his work, especially within The Prince and The Discourses on Livy (1531). Sforza may often be defined as a "virago" — a woman who possesses and exerts male attributes in order to obtain her own authority. Yet, it is also evident that she utilizes and embraces her own means of femininity to ward off the diplomatic dangers which invade her life. Perhaps the most iconic depiction of Sforza among 16th century writers is the event at Forli - a siege in which the Orsis (a noble family of Forli) attempt to persuade Sforza into surrendering her palace and her family. Her conspirators are convinced that they have the upper hand in this situation: they hold her children hostage, and therefore are under the assumption that she will give in to her maternal instincts. However, little do they know this is not the case. Sforza's response is as follows, according to Machiavelli: | C A T E R I N A S F O R Z A |
"Madonna Caterina [Sforza] promised the conspirators that if they let her enter it [the fortress], she would deliver it to them and they might keep her children as hostages. Under this faith they let her enter it. As soon as she was inside she reproved them with every kind of revenge. And to show that she did not care for her children, she showed them her genital parts, saying that she still had the mode for making more of them." |
It has been often speculated that Sforza’s gesture of lifting up her skirts was, in fact, fabricated by Machiavelli himself. A grand majority of other primary sources depicting the event illustrate Sforza as being pregnant at the time — perhaps a more modest gesture than what Machiavelli paints, but the notion that she still has the means to bear more children is still conveyed nonetheless. Overall, Caterina Sforza “displays a political virility that would befit a Machiavellian prince: audacity, boldness, and a rendering public of what should remain private.” Machiavelli refrains from stating that Caterina Sforza “does not really care about her children; rather, her gesture is intended to convince the conspirators that she does not.” Rather than depicting a woman in a circumstance of great vulnerability, Machiavelli suggests to his readers that women such as Sforza are capable of working their so-called “flaws” to their advantage. Such a conjecture is a strong testament to an individual in political, social authority, regardless of gender designation. --
As mentioned previously, Machiavelli’s clashing viewpoints of the modern applications of “misogyny” and “feminism” are difficult to combine into one defined perspective. However, his public writings were arguably more biased and centralized upon the societal values of the Italian Renaissance, attempting to “confine and control female behavior through prescriptive censorship, categorizing women as “good” or “bad” according to their degree of sexual purity.” These perceptions, although still included, are not of prominent focus within Machiavelli’s personal words. If anything, he is allowed more freedom to explore other thoughts and ideas about women that were otherwise deemed unconventional at the time, especially coming from an esteemed male writer. Although it is evident that the truth value of these writings is certainly up for debate, there is less of a bias present — that is to say that Machiavelli does not have one set audience in mind, but rather only certain individuals. Thus, his subconscious does not serve as a distraction, intrusion, or surveillance on his thought process.
A prominent woman who dominates most of Machiavelli’s private letters is that of La Riccia, a Florentine courtesan present within his letters dated between 1510 and 1520. Although Machiavelli eventually becomes enamored with a few other individual women (many of whom far less is known in comparison to La Riccia), his bond and companionship with La Riccia remains eternal. She, along with the other affiliating women, serve as a form of creative, blissful escapism from the everyday pressures that taint Machiavelli’s life, a “consolation in the face of repeated disappointments and injustices suffered at the hands of his fellow men.” In many quotations such as the following, he does not refer to these relationships as a “conquest” but rather that love has overtaken him instead: “Everything seems easy to me: I adapt to her every whim, even to those that seem different from and contrary to what my own ought to be.” (August 3, 1514; Letter 238) It is evident that Machiavelli admits to the sheer authority and influence these women have over his private life, including his own decision-making.
A prominent woman who dominates most of Machiavelli’s private letters is that of La Riccia, a Florentine courtesan present within his letters dated between 1510 and 1520. Although Machiavelli eventually becomes enamored with a few other individual women (many of whom far less is known in comparison to La Riccia), his bond and companionship with La Riccia remains eternal. She, along with the other affiliating women, serve as a form of creative, blissful escapism from the everyday pressures that taint Machiavelli’s life, a “consolation in the face of repeated disappointments and injustices suffered at the hands of his fellow men.” In many quotations such as the following, he does not refer to these relationships as a “conquest” but rather that love has overtaken him instead: “Everything seems easy to me: I adapt to her every whim, even to those that seem different from and contrary to what my own ought to be.” (August 3, 1514; Letter 238) It is evident that Machiavelli admits to the sheer authority and influence these women have over his private life, including his own decision-making.
- Atkinson, James B., et al. “Niccolò Machiavelli: a portrait.” Seeking Real Truths: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Machiavelli, Brill, 2007, pp. 14-30.
- Clarke, Michelle Tolman. "On the Woman Question in Machiavelli." The Review of Politics 67, no. 2 (2005): 229-55. pp. 242.
- Cavallo, Jo Ann, et al. “Machiavelli and Women.” Seeking Real Truths: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Machiavelli, Brill, 2007, pp. 126-127.
- Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince. Oxford: Oxford University Press, UK, 2005, 1:92.
- Spackman, Barbara. “Machiavelli and Gender.” Chapter. In The Cambridge Companion to Machiavelli, edited by John M. Najemy, 223–38. Cambridge Companions to Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
- Valedon-Morciglio, Sarimer. 2016. "Feminism in Machiavelli: The Symbiotic Relationship between Virtu and Fortuna." Order No. 10300610, Webster University. Chapter V: Analysis. pp. 26.
- Viroli, Maurizio. Niccolò’s Smile: A Biography of Machiavelli. trans. Antony Shugaar. New York, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2000.