Writers of the
Renaissance
A New Kind of Literature
“How-to” Books
 Poets, artists, & scholars mingled
with politicians
 “How-to” books were demanded
Niccolo Machiavelli
 Italian author
 “The ends justify the
means.”
 Believed strict
leadership could
unite Italy
Baldassare Castiglione
 Italian humanist,
diplomat & courtier
 Authority on
aristocratic manners
The Book of the Courtier
"Men demonstrate their
courage far more often in little
things than in great."
What did he mean?
Northern Humanists
 Stressed education & classical learning
 Emphasized religious themes.
 Use ancient learning to bring religious
& moral reform.
Francesco Petrarch
 One of the first
humanists
 Wrote poetry –
“Sonnets to
Laura”
 Considered some
of the greatest
love poems in
literature
Francesco Petrarch (continued)
 Believed classical writers were
committed to virtue in public &
private life
 Desire for salvation versus fame
Sir Thomas More
 An English Humanist
 Published “Utopia”
 Executed by King
Henry VIII
Utopia
 “Under such a system, there’s bound to
be plenty of everything, and as
everything is divided equally among the
entire population, there obviously can’t
be any poor people or beggars.”
Writers for a New Audience
 New demand for works in the
vernacular
 Demand for dramatic tales & earthly
comedies
William Shakespeare
 English poet &
playwright
 Wrote comedies,
historical plays &
tragedies
Hamlet
“To be, or not to be: that is the
question: Whether 'tis nobler in
the mind to suffer the slings
and arrows of outrageous
fortune, or to take arms against
a sea of troubles, and by
opposing end them?”
Words of Wisdom
 Machiavelli & Castiglione wrote “how-to” guides
for nobles who wanted to rise to power.
 Now it’s your turn to write a “how-to” guide, but
not for nobleman of the Renaissance… for the
Freshman of Appoquinimink High School.
 Write 10 guidelines for Freshman Survival at AHS.
Remember, we want to help them make it to
graduation in 4 short years. So impart some
wisdom!
 This will be collected! 