A Comparison Of Henry V And Machiavelli's Use Of History

The essay, “Fear and Loved: Henry V and Machiavelli’s Use of History” by Clegg, describes how Machiavelli’s The Prince was harshly criticized by the audience of the sixteenth century. However, this essay points out that if we disregard the popular opinion of Machiavelli and examine closely, then “the play participates in a Machiavellian rhetoric of its own” (2). Clegg’s main point is that both literary work’s rhetoric uses history to “engage its audience in the activity of judgment” (2), rather than just simply stating the facts about the past. The essay also expose the other parallels between the two literary works. For example, the similar character descriptions of Henry and the politician of the Machiavel, and the play’s purpose “to discriminate