The Decameron-1350’s
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The Decameron is an all but forgotten piece of literature from a very important period of time—THE PLAGUE was devastating Europe, and Boccaccio created stories to “ward off death” outside the city limits where the devastation was less. It was a sort of way to forget the brutality of what might happen at any moment to anyone.
When one of the Lsisters was in Italy, she asked a professor of literature to name important Italian poems or prose that stood the test of time. The Decameron was one. One of the L sisters will review it in a type of shorthand. It might stimulate you to read it yourself!
Boccaccio is active as a diplomat going on missions for the Signoria (the governing body of Florence)—By 1360 he took holy orders. He read extensively in the Classics – he was very fat. The only collection of stories to appear before his collection of stories was the anonymous Novelllino (late 13th C)it had no frame at all. This period of time was Plague time.
There was the Tale of 1001 Nights of Persian origin. Boccaccio was sympathetic to women stuck in houses—offered them love stories. He was one of first Western writers to see prose as important as poetry. Wrote the Decameron between 1349-51. References to Dante’s work which he admired—no concern with spiritual matters—just earthly ones.
His characters came from all social classes—aristocrats, merchants, tradesmen, women. He breaks with storytelling traditions of the middle ages by putting people in real places. Themes: INTELLIGENCE—as is evidenced by reason, prudence, eloquence; FORTUNE: from God ; APPETITE: love and sex, and MAGNANIMITY : generosity, humanity.
A galeoto is a go-between; Boccaccio himself is between 2 cultures: Persian and European; Middle Ages and Renaissance. He felt Petrarch was his intellectual superior. Petrarch died a year before he did. The Plague hit Florence in 1348.
Chaucer wrote between 1380 and 1390. His stories are( in pilgrimage framework) from London to the St. Thomas of Canterbury shrine the pilgrimage is held in Spring with Church approval. There are 30 characters in Chaucer’s Tales.
The plague starts in the East and travels West to Europe. It creates swelling in the groin and armpits; then black botches on the arms-death within 3 days. Law and order was gone—people entered houses; not enough consecrated ground to bury them; some go to the country to try to escape it. For ½ year almost 60,000 to 80.000 people died.
In the Decameron there are 7 women storytellers and 3 men storytellers. The women are: Pampinea, Filomena, Lauretta, Elissa, Fiametta, Emilia, Neifile. The men are: Panfilo, Filostrato, and Dione’. The idea for the telling of stories was a kind of “warding off of death”; a kind of forgetting the dreadful possibility of it.
There is a theme for the 10 stories that will be told each day. The theme for the stories of DAY 1 is: THE CHURCH!
PANFILO’s story-Day 1 STORY 1: The story begins with Ciappeletto who presents false documents and false testimony—he is a drinker, blasphemer of God and a cardshark. He goes to Burgundy to get Mr. Masciato’s money because Mr Masciato is dying. A friar comes— Ciappeletto lies to him about all his sins and the friar believes him. The friar tells all the townspeople; they believe the friar, and rename him Saint Ciapelletto and pray to him!
NEIFILE’ story 2—Day 1; The story begins when Givigni urges Abraham the Jew to go to the court of Rome; Givigni sees the wickedness of the clergy and becomes a Christian in good faith.
FILOMENA—Day 1 story 3 The story begins when she talks about intelligence. Intelligence can be our salvation. A man used his wits to defend his wealth from Saladin. Saladin is the Sultan of Babylon (Cairo). Saladin goes to a Jew and asks him which of the 3 religions is truest—Christian, Saracen, Or Jewish. Upshot is all similar to one another and cannot judge which is best. Saladin and the Jew become friends.
DIONEO—Day 1: story 4 The story begins when a monk saves his body from grave punishment by confronting the Abbot who is having sex with a young girl after the monk does—the monk lets the Abbot know he saw it from the keyhole. The Abbot cannot punish the monk because the monk will expose him.
FIAMETTA Day 1 story 5The story begins with the Marquis of Monferrato-a gonfolierer (holder of a prestigious office-name gonfoliere ). The Marquis led a crusade. He has a beautiful wife whom the king covets—she puts him in his place, and does not respond to his advances, so he leaves.
EMILIA Day 1- story 6 : The story begins with the Inquisitors in Florence. They were disliked for taking bribes to lesson sentences. They had decadent lifestyles. As a result, friars were to avoid having contact with ,money. St. Croche’s is a Franciscan church.
FILOSTRATO - Day 1--story 7: The story is that the target of wickedness is the Church.
LAURETTA Day 1story 8: The story begins with Mr Grimaldi, who is rich but stingy. He is called Ermino the Miser. A court entertainer comes to Genoa—but he is a vile man—wanted to meet the Miser. Courtesy in those days meant liberality and generosity so now, the Miser becomes courteous ( A Court virtue). The Court entertainer shows the Miser something he’s never seen before!
ELLISA ( Day 1--story 9 Her story is about a single word that transforms someone. A noble lady goes on a pilgrimage to the Sepulcher-the burial place of Christ in Jerusalem. She is attacked and complains to the King, but he is known for torpor, so she teases him; asks him for advice in taking insults calmly. He knows what she means and punishes her assailants.
THE QUEEN: (Day 1story 10--the Queen: This last story shows that ladies used to be more clever with witticism—now they are more interested in their clothes. A name is given to their dullness: PURITY OF MIND. Story shows how to have women make good choices. Like the leek, the head is less objectionable than the leaves.