Renaissance is French for rebirth. The Renaissance period was no different. The Renaissance (1330-1650-ish) was a movement of new ideas and creatives who challenged the status quo. This period emerged after the lengthy and monotonous Dark Ages where only royalty mattered much. People rediscovered and rekindled humanity's passion for Greek and Roman arts and sciences. Most notably, high-profile people like William Shakespeare turned around and copied classical Greek plays into some of his most famous works. Other Renaissance authors created new forms of stories such as the novel.

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Renaissance works typically centered on the theme of humanism. After centuries of bland heroic fairy tales, it was time for tragedy and triumph, real people with real stories to tell. Classics like The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, Utopia by Sir Thomas More, and practically any work by Shakespeare were brought to pass.