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The Decameron PDF

The Decameron, written by Giovanni Boccaccio between 1348 and 1353, is a seminal work in prose fiction that explores themes of love, fortune, and human behavior through vivid storytelling in the Tuscan vernacular. Set against the backdrop of 14th-century Italy, it reflects the socio-economic upheaval of the time, including the impact of the Black Death. The collection of stories features key characters who narrate tales that emphasize the power of love, the unpredictability of fortune, and the virtue of intelligence, while also critiquing the hypocrisy of religious figures.

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89 views4 pages

The Decameron PDF

The Decameron, written by Giovanni Boccaccio between 1348 and 1353, is a seminal work in prose fiction that explores themes of love, fortune, and human behavior through vivid storytelling in the Tuscan vernacular. Set against the backdrop of 14th-century Italy, it reflects the socio-economic upheaval of the time, including the impact of the Black Death. The collection of stories features key characters who narrate tales that emphasize the power of love, the unpredictability of fortune, and the virtue of intelligence, while also critiquing the hypocrisy of religious figures.

Uploaded by

maryedearlynm
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Decameron (Giovanni Boccaccio)

Derived from Greek (Deca- Ten) (Meron-days)

The Decameron was the first prose masterpiece to be written in the Tuscan
vernacular, making it more accessible to readers who could not read Latin.
Wrote The Decameron between 1348 and 1353, during a time of major
political and socio-economic upheaval in Europe, particularly in Italy.

 Giovanni Boccaccio- Born 1313 in Tuscany and died on December, 21


1375 at the age of 62
 An Italian poet and writer
 He was friends with the famous poet Petrarch and was inspired by Dante,
who wrote The Divine Comedy.
 His works focused on love, luck, and human behavior.

CONTRIBUTIONS
 Development of Prose Fiction – He helped shape modern prose
storytelling by using vivid characters, humor, and natural dialogue, moving
away from the rigid, allegorical styles of medieval literature.
 Humanism and Renaissance Thought – Boccaccio celebrated human
experience, intelligence, and wit, contributing to the rise of Renaissance
humanism. His works explored themes of love, fortune, and morality in a
way that emphasized individual perspectives rather than religious
doctrine.
 Influence on Chaucer and European Literature – The Decameron
inspired Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales and set a model for
framed narratives, where multiple stories are told within a larger story.

POLITICAL & SOCIO-ECONIMIC


BACKGROUND
-Italy in the 14th century was not a unified country but a collection of city-
states, such as Florence, Venice, and Milan, each governed by different
systems, including republics, duchies, and papal states.
-Florence, where Boccaccio spent much of his life, was a powerful and
wealthy republic but faced internal struggles between rival political factions.

Political factions- Group of people within a society or government who share


similar political beliefs, goals, or interests and work together to gain power or
influence.
Boccaccio’s time, two major factions were:
The Guelphs – Supported the Pope and wanted the Church to have more influence
over political matters.
The Ghibellines – Supported the Holy Roman Emperor and wanted secular (non-
religious) rulers to have more power.

-Defining events of this period was the Black Death (1347–1351), a devastating plague
that killed an estimated one-third to one-half of Europe’s population.

Profound Effects:
Labor Shortages – With so many people dying, there were fewer workers, which led to
higher wages for survivors and a shift in social structures.
• Economic Disruptions – Trade and agriculture suffered, leading to inflation
and financial crises.
• Wealth Redistribution – Many lower-class people inherited property from
deceased relatives, leading to a rise in social mobility.
• Moral and Religious Crisis – The plague made people question the Church’s
power, as prayers and religious rituals failed to stop the disease. Some people became
deeply religious, while others turned to pleasure and indulgence, believing life was short.

KEY CHARACTERS:
1. Pampinea: Queen of the First Day. She is the eldest of the women and the natural
leader, proposing the retreat and the storytelling structure.
2. Filomena: Queen of the Second Day. Prudent and pragmatic, she suggests
that they take a guide to maintain order during their retreat.
3. Neifile: Queen of the Third Day. At 18 and inexperienced, she is in love with
one of the three men in the group and proposes observing religious days during their
retreat.
4. Filostrato: King of the Fourth Day. Having suffered betrayal and
disappointment in love, he chooses stories with unhappy endings as his theme.
5. Fiammetta: Queen of the Fifth Day. Generous by nature and eager for love,
she fears the pain of heartbreak.
6. Elissa: Queen of the Sixth Day. She has a haughty nature and traditional
values about relations between men and women.
7. Dioneo: King of the Seventh Day. The wittiest and most self-confident of the
three young men, his stories almost always have sexual content and bawdy humor. He
tells the final story of each day and only loosely subscribes to the themes of the day.
8. Lauretta: Queen of the Eighth Day. A woman of balanced judgment, she is a
skilled musician who composes songs, sings duets with Dioneo, and often leads the
dancing.
9. Emilia: Queen of the Ninth Day. Very beautiful and extremely vain, she is not
very popular, which is why she is the last woman to receive the crown.
10. Panfilo: King of the Tenth Day. More serious and devout than the others, he
begins and ends stories with praises to God and often adds moral advice and social
commentary to his narratives.

THEMES OF EACH DAY:


Day 1: Free Theme (Pampinea)– Stories of human ingenuity and trickery.
Day 2: The rise and fall of fortune ( Filomena) Stories about people who
experience sudden changes in their luck.
Day 3: The power of human will (Neifile) – Stories of people who achieve
their desires through effort and determination.
Day 4: Tragic love (Filostrato) Tales of lovers who experience misfortune
and sorrow.
Day 5: Love with a happy ending (Fiammetta)– Stories of lovers who face
challenges but ultimately find happiness.
Day 6: Clever responses(Elissa) – Stories of people who use wit and
intelligence to get out of difficult situations.
Day 7: Women outsmarting men (Dioneo)– Tales where wives and lovers
trick their husbands or male counterparts.
Day 8: Tricks and deceptions (Lauretta)– Stories about people using clever
schemes, often for humorous or ironic results.
Day 9: Free Themes – Lighthearted Tales (Emilia)– No specific topic,
allowing a variety of stories
Day 10: Acts of generosity and virtue (Panfilo)– Stories about noble deeds,

kindness, and honorable behavior.

Key Themes of The Decameron

1. The Power of Love


Love is a strong force that drives people to do both good and foolish things. It brings
joy, pain, and sometimes unexpected consequences. In the stories, love can inspire
great acts of kindness and sacrifice, but it can also lead to mistakes and suffering.

2. The Duality of Fortune


Life is unpredictable, and luck can change at any moment. Some characters
experience sudden success, while others face unexpected misfortunes. The stories
show that fortune can be both helpful and cruel, reminding us that nothing in life is
guaranteed.
3. The Virtue of Intelligence
Smart and quick-thinking people often succeed, even when facing powerful or unfair
situations. Many stories show how intelligence, clever tricks, and problem-solving
help characters escape danger, win love, or gain wealth. This suggests that wisdom is
more valuable than social status or wealth.

4. The Hypocrisy of Holiness


Some religious figures in the stories pretend to be holy but secretly act selfishly or
immorally. They may lie, cheat, or break their own rules while expecting others to
obey them. Boccaccio uses humor to show how some religious leaders fail to live up
to their own teachings.

References:
SparkNotes Editors. (n.d.). The Decameron: Themes. SparkNotes.
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-decameron/themes/

LitCharts Editors. (n.d.). The Decameron Study Guide. LitCharts.


https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-decameron

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