Birth of a new eraDespite the problems of the 14th century, it marked the beginning of extraordinary changes in many facets of 15th century society. This astonishing revolution was named Renaissance, which means “rebirth”. The Renaissance led to literary pioneers such as Nicholas Machiavelli. His work, The Prince, gave detailed instructions on the qualities a perfect leader should possess and how to use those qualities. Machiavelli presented a detailed account of a perfect prince and how he achieved and maintained power. Machiavelli's The Prince is a classic literary example of Renaissance writing in the ideas it conveys and the manner in which it conveys them. The Renaissance, a time of cultural achievement and economic and political evolution, developed out of the plague, famine, and death of the 14th century. . Unlike the Middle Ages, the Renaissance introduced such ideas that embodied three characteristics: individualism, humanism and secularism. With the arrival of the Renaissance came a cultural evolution and the introduction of many notable figures, such as Michelangelo. Due to the emphasis on religion in the Middle Ages, individualism at the time was non-existent due to the Christian dissuasion of self-centeredness. Literature emerged during the Renaissance with an emphasis on the individual, which helped give rise to talented artists and writers. Individualism emphasizes personality and uniqueness and using one's abilities to their full potential. The Renaissance was a quest for glory. Interestingly, artists in the Middle Ages generally painted and sculpted anonymously, but the Renaissance saw the emergence of works of art bearing the artist's signature. Pages 232-234 of Disco... middle of paper ...... a bit liberal. Free will was barely recognized in God's plan. God and destiny were considered the only sources of human action. Even though Machiavelli clearly supported Renaissance ideas in this case, he still admits that a successful prince can easily be ruined if he is not prepared for whatever luck may have in store for him. Machiavelli's The Prince successfully expressed many Renaissance ideas. He detailed how the government should operate and what previous leaders had done to lead to its downfall. He pointed out the problems of ecclesiastical government and how the prince should do everything in his power to suppress the Church and the Pope for the good of the state. Machiavellian ideas also coincided with those of other Renaissance authors in that the prince had to be both feared and loved.