This course examines literary and cultural texts from the 16th century that capture the vibrancy of Europe as it transforms from a feudal to a modern society. Students explore works by figures such as Marlowe, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo. Topics may include the "Renaissance man," discourses of Orientalism and imperialism, evolving notions of the individual, the monarch and the state, and changing conceptions of gender and sexuality as they affect the period's literature, theatre, and art.