Symposium:
Multiple Speakers (see below)
Niccolò Machiavelli’s political treatise The Prince (1513) casts its shadow far and wide across the humanities and social sciences. Often eclipsed by the scandalous, utilitarian ethics of the treatise – as well as by Shakespeare’s later elaboration of its themes – Machiavelli’s bawdy comedy, Mandragola (“Mandrake”, 1518) displays powerfully the provocative wit of its author like few other theatrical works of early modernity. This play saw more performances in 16th-century Italy than any other.
This symposium will commemorate the 500th anniversary of Machiavelli’s comedy by gathering scholars from diverse disciplines to 1) explore how this unique work accommodates different hermeneutical approaches, and 2) to share new insights and appreciation for the Mandrake as a portrayal of human nature.
For full schedule, speaker information, and address information, see here.
For downloadable pdf poster, see here.
For more information, contact Kristin Phillips-Court: phillipscour@wisc.edu. Please note: Symposium will take place across two days, beginning at 3:30pm on Friday October 12th and continuing all day Saturday October 13th.
This event is co-sponsored by the Institute for Research in the Humanities, the Anonymous Fund of the College of Letters and Science, the Department of French and Italian, the Department of Art History and Integrated Liberal Studies.