Do the Ends Justify the Means - 1115 Words

Robert Sasson Final Paper ENG 2800 12-09-09 Do the Ends Justify the Means? Literature is often a vehicle for social commentary. Two works of literature that express criticism of practices in the society in which they were written are Niccolo Machiavelli’s Mandragola and the Gospel According to Saint Matthew. In his satirical comedy, Machiavelli indirectly criticizes the hypocritical practices of the Catholic Church; however, Jesus in the Gospel According to Saint Matthew instead directly condemns all evil deeds, few of which are criticized in Mandragola. The main difference between the two criticisms is that Machiavelli believes if positive ends are the product of corrupt†¦show more content†¦Jesus explains the material world is merely temporary, so don’t treasure it because it won’t be here forever, and instead place emotional attention on the pleasures of the next world. Analyzing Timoteo’s actions in Mandragola we see he has fallen short of understanding the advice of Jesus, more concerned with the monetary gain s for himself, instead of using good Christian judgment. Unlike Machiavelli, Jesus is encouraging people to stop all bad behavior at the start. We see Jesus’ initiative to prevent evil deeds at its foundation, â€Å"You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to hell of fire† (Matthew 5:21-22). Here Jesus makes clear that he wants his followers to be conscious of the words they use, seeing that being hostile or insulting a person is preemptive to murder and attaining unfavorable ends. In Mandragola, Timoteo knows that he is acting as an accomplice in facilitating adultery between the sex-hungry Callimaco and the married Lucrezi a. Nonetheless he chooses toShow MoreRelatedDo the Ends Ever Justify the Means?1295 Words   |  6 PagesDo the Ends Ever Justify the Means? When I first heard about the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, I thought it was just a reading assignment when I was in high school that I had to complete for a grade. As I began reading I became particularly interested in Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cells. In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot talks about Henrietta Lacks and how her cells were taken without her permission, and how her family suffered afterwards. Skloot shows howRead More Social Influence Research - Do the Ends Justify the Means? Essay865 Words   |  4 PagesSocial Influence Research - Do the Ends Justify the Means? 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