In Richard III, Richard is indeed a hero, if you look at the play from a Machiavellian perspective. Classic heroes are people to look up to and use as inspiration and are known to have noble qualities. They have their faults but not as many as Richard had. He was the perfect example of a king who did not represent his people but instead fought for his own interests. This is an almost perfect example of what Machiavelli’s The Prince says a leader should be. A leader should not be scared to do what he needs to get the expected output, and Richard is a man who follows the view that the ends justify the means. His main goal is to become king, no matter who stops him and no matter the consequence. One of the main points of The Prince is that a