THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT RENAISSANCE NOVELS - LITERATURE - 2025

The novels of the Renaissance are those that occurred in Europe under the influence of cultural trends, ideological and typical of the XIV, XV and XVI centuries intellectuals.

These texts set a pattern because they were written mostly in vernacular languages ​​(spoken by the common people) and not in erudite languages, such as Greek or Latin.

These texts are characterized by the adoption of a humanistic philosophy and an anthropocentric perspective. This means that the human being was considered as the center.

The authors were also inspired by Greco-Roman themes and forms. In this way it was sought to recover the classic elements.

The first literary texts of the Renaissance emerged in Italy in the 14th century. The greatest Italian exponents were Petrarca, Machiavelli and Ariosto, whose texts reflect the values ​​of the time.

The influence of the Italian Renaissance spread to the rest of the continent. For example, in England this movement became popular at the end of the 15th century, with William Shakespeare being its greatest exponent.

The 10 main novels of the Renaissance

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The Decameron is a collection of short stories created by Giovanni Boccaccio in the 14th century. It was written in Florentine, the vernacular of Florence, and is considered to be a masterpiece of classical Italian prose.

This literary work tells the story of 10 young people (seven ladies and three gentlemen) who were forced to retreat to the countryside on the outskirts of Florence, to flee from the black plague that was hitting the big cities.

For entertainment, these young people decide to tell a story each night, except during the weekend because it was dedicated to housework and worship.

The book collects 100 stories narrated by 10 people during 10 nights. The themes of the stories are varied, from religion to eroticism. Many leave life teachings and moral lessons, while others are humorous.

This book shows the influence of the Greeks, which can be seen in the title. Deca means "ten" and hemera means "day."

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The prince is a text by Nicholas Machiavelli, written at the beginning of the 16th century. In this work, Machiavelli talks about power and the different stages of it. It talks about how to get power, how to maintain it, and how to use it.

Among the most important aspects of this book are the proposition of the figure of a "prince" as head of State, the conception of "State" as it is known today and the bases for international politics, which puts the interests of the State before those of the other nations.

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The Divine Comedy is a literary work written in the fourteenth century by Dante Alighieri. This is an allegorical work that shows the path that human beings must travel to reach God.

Alighieri is said to be the father of the Italian language because this was the first text written in the vernacular, which laid the foundation for the development of a standard language.

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The ingenious gentleman Don Quijote de la Mancha is a work by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. It is divided into two volumes: the first was published in 1605 and the second ten years later, in 1615.

The protagonist of the story is Alonso Quijano, who decides to transform himself into a wandering knight after having read many chivalric novels.

Don Quijote de la Mancha is considered the most influential text in Spanish literature and the forerunner of the modern novel.

5- The life of Lazarillo de Tormes and his fortunes and adversities

La vida del Lazarillo de Tormes is an anonymous novel that emerged in the 1550s. It was originally written in Spanish. This work is of great importance since with it the picaresque novel is inaugurated.

The protagonist of this novel is a young rogue who survives thanks to his cunning. The work is narrated in the first person and is made up of a series of short stories whose only relationship is Lázaro, the narrator and protagonist.

Throughout the novel, Lázaro writes a letter to a person with an unknown name, telling him about the various situations he has had to go through.

6- Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is one of the first British novels to include Renaissance features. In this text, a group of pilgrims visiting the grave of Thomas Beckett narrate a series of short stories.

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Romeo and Juliet is also a play by William Shakespeare, written between 1591 and 1595. It tells the tragic story of two young men, Romeo and Juliet, who belong to rival families.

The story is based on an Italian text written in verse entitled The Tragic Story of Romeo and Juliet. However, Shakespeare enriched the plot by adding certain characters such as Paris and Mercutio.

8- Gargantua and Pantagruel

Gargantua and Pantaugrel is a collection of five books written by Francois Rabelais. Despite having a humorous tone, the space is used to reflect on education, politics, among other aspects.

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Paradise Lost is a literary work by John Milton. This text is written in verse and is made up of 10 books.

The central theme is the fall from grace of the human being, due to the temptation of Satan and the sin committed by Adam and Eve.

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Utopia is a text by Thomas More. Unlike most Renaissance works, this one was written in Latin.

It is a sociopolitical and satirical novel in which it is spoken of a perfect island in all its aspects: politically, socially and economically.

The term utopia is made up of two Greek words: u, which means "no", and topos, which means "place".

In this way, it is implied that the island of which Moro speaks does not exist anywhere. This term was coined by Moro himself.

References

1. 10 Popular and Most Read Books from Renaissance Period. Retrieved on October 4, 2017, from tell-a-tale.com
2. King Lear. Retrieved on October 4, 2017, from wikipedia.org
3. Reinassance literature. Retrieved on October 4, 2017, from wikipedia.org
4. Romeo and Juliet. Retrieved on October 4, 2017, from wikipedia.org
5. The Decameron. Retrieved on October 4, 2017, from wikipedia.org
6. The Renaissance. Retrieved on October 4, 2017, from wikipedia.org
7. Utopia (book). Retrieved on October 4, 2017, from wikipedia.org