The "rebirth of the arts", in the time period known simply as the Renaissance, created new opportunities for talented artists, architects, and writers. The writers are especially well known, for their re-introduction of drama in entertainment. These plays had several various themes, which sometimes were or were not very obvious, including comedy, romance, and tragedy. The advent of tragedies in the Renaissance was original because theater had not been written since the time of the Greek authors. The Renaissance was a time for change, and tragedies were just the change it needed.

The cause of the change from spiritual plays to more entertaining ones is unknown. Tragedies were very popular during the time of the Greeks. Up until 400 BC, tragedies were written for entertainment, in storytelling, and other reasons; however, after that time the number of tragedies written declined. This was the time to be looking for religious...