Nicolo Machiavelli wrote "The Prince", about how a prince can rise in power, and maintain his power. Machiavellians tend to use a ruthless philosophy of hurting people before the people can hurt them, and hurting them bad enough to not have to worry about revenge being plotted against them. Their methods are ruthless and immoral, but by setting a goal, making plans, and getting rid of anything in their way, they can stay in power for a long time. In Richard III, Richard used Machiavellian methods such as stopping at nothing, starting rumors to get people out of the way of the throne and to make himself look good, and by ensuring his position.
Richard stopped at nothing to gain power. He lied to and killed family and other innocent people. He used people's weaknesses to get whatever he wanted. To marry Anne he said," If thy revengeful heart cannot forgive," which used her morals and religious upraising against her, to make her feel guilty and forgive him [I,ii,173].
Famous posthumous portrait of Niccolò Machiavelli...
English: The "Darnley Portrait" of Elizabeth I of ...
Richard & FriendHe goes as far as lying to his most trusting brother, Clarence, telling him," I will deliver you or else lie for you," when really he is plotting to kill him, and was the one who put him in jail [I,i,115]. Throughout the story Richard ruthlessly murdered family and other royalty, to get what he wanted.
Richard wanted people to think he was a good man to be king, so he acted like a wonderful, trustworthy person, and made everyone else seem horrible by getting his followers to start rumors. A Machiavellian method is to make you like people make your people like you, and think you are important, but only if it is no cost to you. When Richard makes his entrance with two bishops, while holding a bible,