Western Literature: The Decameron
By Ivana 10/17/17 Lesson 160 Gary North Ron Paul Curriculum
Boccaccio was an Italian poet and writer, who famously documented the arrival of the Black Death in Florence. The beginning section in his work “The Decameron” is a detailed description of the disease and how it affected people’s lives.
The rest of the book is product of his imagination with little to no historical value or meaning. It tells the story of seven young noble ladies in Florence living during the plague. They are contemplating their situation together when several young men join them. Together, they decide to move to an abandoned estate outside the city to escape the wrath of the plague. They bring their servants and belongings and spend their days playing and being merry.
One of the ladies suggests telling stories to keep everyone occupied. They rest of “The Decameron” is a compilation of these stories.
The first storyteller delivers a peculiar tale about an evil man who deceives multitudes of people. On his deathbed he even deceives a friar by pretending to be holy, so he could be made a saint. The local people then began to pray to him.
In the beginning of the story the storyteller praises God, naming him the creator and authority. Then he tells the tale of the evil man becoming a saint. At the end of the story God’s name is invoked once more. In a way, it seems like Boccaccio is mocking God in an indirect way and attempting to make a stance against Christianity.
Idea Girl 