The Decameron

Jul 06, 2011 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: short-stories-novellas, classics, medieval-literature, humour

The Decameron is obviously a hugely influential piece of literature (actually, it's just plain huge), so it's no wonder I'd get around to it eventually. I'm not a huge fan of Chaucer, really, but I did recognise a couple of the source texts he used in this, and I imagine that the choice of frame narrative for the Canterbury Tales might've been suggested to Chaucer by The Decameron. Certainly The Decameron was an influence, anyway.

The Decameron also inspired a song by one of my favourite singers,...more The Decameron is obviously a hugely influential piece of literature (actually, it's just plain huge), so it's no wonder I'd get around to it eventually. I'm not a huge fan of Chaucer, really, but I did recognise a couple of the source texts he used in this, and I imagine that the choice of frame narrative for the Canterbury Tales might've been suggested to Chaucer by The Decameron. Certainly The Decameron was an influence, anyway.

The Decameron also inspired a song by one of my favourite singers, Heather Dale, 'Up Into The Pear Tree', about Pyrrhus and Lydia and their trick on Lydia's husband. It's a lovely song, playful and quite in keeping with the tone of The Decameron.

Despite its length, The Decameron is very easy to read. It's a collection of a hundred short stories -- or perhaps a hundred and one, if you count the frame story -- split into ten 'days' with the conceit that a group of ten young men and women meet outside Florence during the plague years, and to entertain themselves, they elect a king or queen from their number each day, who dictates a theme for the stories that they tell. The stories are quite similar at times, when they revolve around a specific theme, but overall there's a lot of different stories, often funny, and often to do with sex. You get the impression that no women in medieval Italy (with the exception of Griselda and Zinevra) were ever faithful to their husbands!

Being a medieval work, it's unsurprisingly not terribly good about subjects like rape or feminine strength. Sometimes it praises women to the skies and at other times blames them for what isn't their fault, or what certainly isn't a fault in all women. Still, it didn't make me uncomfortable most of the time, and there are plenty of clever and strong women in the tales as well.

The Penguin translation, by G.H. McWilliam, is extremely good, in the sense of always being very readable and entertaining, rather than dry, and this edition comes with a wealth of notes on context and on each specific story. There are maps and an index, too. Even if you're not reading this for study, it's worth getting -- perhaps especially so, because it explains things clearly no matter what your level of expertise on the subject.(less)

20 likes · like · see review

Jun 16, 2010 Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, reading-through-history

Suck it Boccaccio, I totally read your shit. Well, around 65% of it. I used a couple of different lists of "the best of them," and skipped any stories that weren't on either list.

I've read a bunch of non-fiction books recently that at least touch on Italy in the 14th century, and I keep thinking, "Yeah, I understand this from Boccaccio." Corruption in the church, the role of women, the lives of the nobles and the common people... I get a better sense of these things from the Decameron than from...more

14 likes · like · see review

Mar 04, 2012 David Lentz rated it 4 of 5 stars

This great book is set in a country estate outside Florence during a plague. The meaning of the setting was not lost upon me: with death beckoning from all corners, one is wise to enjoy life and pass the hours sharing experience among those about whom one cares. These comic and tragic tales are told in rotation among a group of wealthy people killing time within a garden, a little island of civilization, a little Eden -- paradise. The vast majority of these 100 tales involve amusing stories abou...more

11 likes · like · see review

Aug 13, 2008 Emm rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, erotica

My encounter with this book has been a delightful surprise. Expecting a dry and difficult medieval text, I was shocked to find myself unable to put it down. This is a completely rich text that is complex, yet easy and fun to read. Boccaccio has such a fun sense of humor! I found myself laughing aloud. For me, the dirty stories stole the show, but the other stories by no means fall short. His characters and stories are so richly human and he is able to laugh at them, embrace their flaws, forgive...more

10 likes · like · see review

Dec 06, 2011 Fahad rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

الديكاميرون

القرن الرابع عشر، مدينة فلورنس، مدينة الورود كما يوحي اسمها، والأهم مدينة الفن والأدب في إيطاليا، مدينة دانتي وبترارك وجيوفاني بوكاشيو صاحب هذا الكتاب (الديكاميرون) أي (الأيام العشرة) باليونانية، وهي أيام عشرة بالفعل، وبمثابة فصول عشرة للكتاب، الذي يتكئ على الوباء الذي اجتاح فلورنس سنة 1348 م، وقضى على الآلاف من ناسها.

في تلكم الظروف المحزنة، يتخيل بوكاشيو شبابا ً عشرة، ثلاثة رجال، وسبع نساء، يتركون المدينة الموبوءة ويلجئون إلى بستان خارجها، حيث يقررون البقاء هناك، بعيدا ً عن مشاهد ا...more الديكاميرون

القرن الرابع عشر، مدينة فلورنس، مدينة الورود كما يوحي اسمها، والأهم مدينة الفن والأدب في إيطاليا، مدينة دانتي وبترارك وجيوفاني بوكاشيو صاحب هذا الكتاب (الديكاميرون) أي (الأيام العشرة) باليونانية، وهي أيام عشرة بالفعل، وبمثابة فصول عشرة للكتاب، الذي يتكئ على الوباء الذي اجتاح فلورنس سنة 1348 م، وقضى على الآلاف من ناسها.

في تلكم الظروف المحزنة، يتخيل بوكاشيو شبابا ً عشرة، ثلاثة رجال، وسبع نساء، يتركون المدينة الموبوءة ويلجئون إلى بستان خارجها، حيث يقررون البقاء هناك، بعيدا ً عن مشاهد الموت ورائحة الموتى، يقضي العشرة أياما ً عشرة معا ً، يستمتعون بالمكان، وبالشباب، والأهم بمتعة القص، حيث يتفقون منذ اليوم الأول على أن يروي كلا ً منهم قصة واحدة في كل يوم، في موضوع يحدده من ينصب ملك أو ملكة اليوم، وهذا يعطينا مائة قصة شعبية إيطالية، جمعها بوكاشيو وضمنها في كتابه هذا، وكعادة القصص الشعبي تتناول أغلب هذه القصص الحيل التي يمارسها الرجل أو تمارسها المرأة للإيقاع بالآخر، والقصص الشعبية قصص علاقات، حيث تنسج وتروى لتبرز العلاقات داخل المجتمع، وأحوال الناس، وما يجري لهم، نادرا ً ما تنشغل القصص الشعبية بفكرة أو بفرد، لم يظهر هذا إلا في القصص الحديثة، عندما شعر الكاتب بفرديته، فعبر عنها عن طريق أبطاله.

حبكة الديكاميرون، وهذا العدد الكبير من القصص التي تضمها، يستدعي لذاكرتنا مباشرة، ألف ليلة وليلة، كنص عربي استخدم قصة كبيرة، تنثال منها مئات القصص الصغيرة، حيث كانت شهرزاد تدفع السيف عن عنقها عن طريق القص، عن طريق استثارة فضول زوجها السلطان لمعرفة ما الذي سيحدث؟، هذه الشهوة، شهوة القص، وهذا الفضول، فضول أن نعرف ما الذي سيحدث للأبطال الذين تعلقنا بهم، هما المحرك وراء كل هذه الروايات والقصص التي نراها مرصوصة في المكتبات، وكلما نجح الكاتب في إثارة فضولنا، ونقلنا إلى عوالم غريبة ومذهلة، كلما شغفنا بالقصة، وتعلقنا بها أكثر، هذا ما خلق الروايات المسلسلة، هذا ما عقد الحبكات، هذا ما جعل الخيال الإنساني يندفع بحثا ً عن فكرة جديدة، أسلوب جديد، كل هذا لإرواء الشهوة والفضول، وسيف شهريار بالمناسبة لازال مصلتا ً، ولكنه لم يعد سيفا ً واحدا ً، وإنما انقلب إلى سيوف كثيرة، كل قارئ يحمل سيفه، إما أن يرفعه عن الكاتب، ويسعى للحصول على المزيد من كتبه، وإما أن ينزله فيقطع ما بينهما.

أبطال بوكاشيو العشرة، فروا من الموت، لا سيف على رؤوسهم، ولكن الموت ليس سيفا ً فقط، الموت رائحة غامضة تملأ الجو، برودة تخترق الجسد، وتسلم الإنسان إلى اليأس، تخيل أنك في مدينة هائلة، مدينة مذهلة، أنجبت عباقرة، مدينة يمكنك أن تجول فيها، فترى في كل زاوية، وفي كل درب من دروبها، آثار من سبقوك من أبنائها، مدينة تعيش فيها، وتعيش فيك، ولكن الموت يفاجئك، لا... ليس موتا ً واحدا ً، وإنما موتا ً يأتي جملة، كل من تعرفهم يموتون، يتساقطون كأوراق الخريف، الأكثر إيلاما ً أنك لا تستطيع حتى الاقتراب منهم، لا تستطيع مشاركتهم لحظاتهم الأخيرة، لطالما تساءلت ما الذي يجعل الإنسان يكافح ليبقى في وجه هذه الجوائح؟ ما الذي يجعل الإنسان يشاهد مدينته تدمر، يشاهد أهلها يتحولون إلى توابيت مسمرة، ويعيش بعد هذا؟ يعيش الحياة بكل تفاهاتها وهمومها الصغيرة؟ ألا يفترض بهم كبير كهذا؟ أن يلغي كل شيء؟ يوقف الإنسان أمام لحظة وجودية خالدة؟ لحظة يتساءل ما الذي بقي لأعيش له؟ من أنا الآن؟ أفكر هكذا، عندما أشاهد المدن المدمرة، بالاحتلال، بالكوارث الطبيعية، آلاف الناس ماتت، ولكن السؤال الكبير، الآلاف الذين بقوا، كيف تجاوزوا أحزانهم؟ كيف يخرج أحدهم من تحت السقف الذي خر عليه بلا انتظار.

نعرف كيف فعل بوكاشيو هذا، بالقص، العشرة الذين فروا من فلورنس، كانوا واحدا ً في الحقيقة، رجل قرر أن فلورنس لا يجب أن تموت، فلذا بعث قصصها، وظرافة أهلها ومغامراتهم، سنلاحظ هذا في الأيام الأخيرة من الكتاب، عندما تتركز القصص على الفلورنسيين.

عالج بوكاشيو نفسه - كأي أديب - بالكتابة، الكتابة التي تخلق لنا عالما ً آخر، عالما ً جميلا ً، شبان وشابات، يجمعهم الشباب والجمال، يتجولون في حدائق خلابة، يغنون كأنما لا مدينة تموت على بعد كيلومترات قليلة منهم، يقدم لهم خدمهم ألذ المأكولات في كل يوم، ويسلون أنفسهم بالألعاب وبالقصص، نقلة زمنية مذهلة، ليس للكارثة أي صدى، كأنما هي حدث معزول، يحدث في أقاصي الأرض، استخدمت فقط لتوفر لهم هذا الملجأ الفردوسي، ولكن لمَ على الواقع الثقيل أن يمد ظلاله إلى هذه العوالم، ألم تصنع للفرار منه؟

القصص كما قلت من قبل، قصص علاقات غرامية في أغلبها، وسنلاحظ أن الأبطال يحاولون الاحتشام، وعدم إيراد تفاصيل فاضحة، وهو أمر لا ينجح دائما ً، كما سنلاحظ الصورة البشعة لرجل الدين المسيحي في تلكم القصص، حيث يبدو وكأنه لا يتورع عن أي شيء، وهذا كان قبل مارتن لوثر وثورته على الكنيسة بمائة وخمسين عاما ً تقريبا ً، حيث يبدو أن الأحوال ساءت تماما ً.

الاختلاف الأساسي الذي سنلاحظه، والذي يفصل أيام بوكاشيو العشرة عن الليالي العربية هو في غياب الفنتازيا، القصص واقعية أو شبه واقعية، لا جن فيها، ولا عفاريت، ولا أي نوع من أنواع الخيالات التي نعرفها في ألف ليلة وليلة، ربما الاستثناء كان إحدى القصص التي ظهرت فيها أشباح، الأمر الآخر هو التشابه الذي سنلاحظه بين بعض قصص الديكاميرون وقصص أخرى قرأنا النسخة العربية منها، مثل هذه القصص أتمنى أن أعرف كيف انتقلت إلينا؟ ما هي الطريق الطويلة التي عبرتها لتتحول من لغتها وثوبها الغربي لتصبح عربية، أم أن الطريق كانت عكسية؟ لا أدري ولكني سأقدم أحدها كمثال.

ففي اليوم الثالث تروي القصة الثانية الحيلة التي لجأ لها سائس عند ملك من الملوك، عندما اكتشف هذا الملك أنه عبث بزوجته مستغلا ً الظلام، عندها بدأ الملك يطوف على خدمه، ويتلمس قلوبهم وهم نائمون ليعرف من يتظاهر منهم بالنوم، عن طريق سرعة دقات قلبه، وعندما وصل إلى الآثم المرعوب، وحتى لا يثير فضيحة، جز شعره بحيث يعرفه في الصباح ويعاقبه، ولكن الخادم نهض حالما غادر الملك وقام بجز شعور الخدم كلهم بذات الطريقة، بحيث وجد الملك في الصباح أنه أمام أحد خيارين إما فضيحة، أو السكوت وتجاوز ما حدث.

الشكل العربي للقصة قرأته في إحدى أساطير عبدالكريم الجهيمان الشعبية – والذي توفي قبل أيام رحمة الله عليه -، ولكن القصة العربية كانت أفضل بكثير، كانت أطول، والبطل فيها أكثر خبثا ً، حيث قام في البداية بقتل ثور السلطان الذي كان يعيث في المدينة فسادا ً من دون أن يتصدى له أحد، وأخذ لحمه إلى منزله، السلطان الذي اعتبر هذا الفعل تحدي لسلطته، فكر كيف يعرف هوية هذا المجترئ عليه، فكان أن قام كنوع من الحيلة برمي نقود ذهبية في السوق، وقد قدر أن من سيجرؤ على أخذها أمام أعين المحتسبين هو ذاته من تجرأ وقتل ثوره، ولكن الرجل استطاع أخذ النقود بحيلة، حيث وضع في باطن نعليه دبسا ً، جعل النقود تلتصق بهما، عندها أرسل عجوزا ً – والعجائز كن حسب الأساطير الشعبية مباحث ذلكم العصر – جعلت تدور على البيوت تتظاهر بالشحاذة، ولكنها كانت تفتش عن بقايا الثور، وعندما وجدتها، احتال عليها الرجل وأدخلها منزله وأحرقها في تنور بيته، عندها جن السلطان، فاقترحت عليه ابنته أن تحاول هي كشف الرجل بنفسها، من سيجترأ على ابنة السلطان غير هذا الرجل الغامض، وبالفعل خرجت بزينتها إلى السوق، فغازلها الرجل فكانت علامتها التي ستعلمه بها، هي أن أهدت له عطرا ً، دهن به رأسه ولحيته، فتساقط شعره، عرف الرجل أن أول ما يفعله السلطان في الصباح هو البحث عن الرجل الذي فقد لحيته وشعره، فلذا هرع إلى الجامع وصب في ميضأته العطر، وعندما توضأ المؤمنون في الصباح، سقطت شعورهم ولحاهم، عندها أعلن السلطان الأمان للرجل، ووعد بأن يقربه، على أن يأتي إليه ويقدم نفسه، فجاء الرجل، واستخدم ذكائه وحيله ليقبض على ملك عدو للسلطان، كانت هذه الحكاية العربية التي أورقت من تلكم القصة الإيطالية الصغيرة، أليست النسخة العربية أفضل؟

(less)

5 likes · like · see review

Jan 11, 2013 Tracy Duvall rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You might suspect that this is a book to read because it's good for you and helpful to mention at wine-and-cheese parties. But it's a naughtily entertaining compendium of one hundred short tales wrapped within a touching scenario. Basically, to escape the horrors of the Black Death, ten well-to-do young adults from Florence, Italy, retire to the countryside for two weeks and, among otherwise chaste activities, tell each other bawdy tales.
When I praise this book, it is not because it tastes goo...more

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 02, 2010 Bruce rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

These one hundred short tales, written in about 1350, are framed within a charming and idyllic background wherein seven maidens and three youths leave Florence during the plague to spend time in lovely and implausible country palaces entertaining themselves until it is safe to return to the city. One of their means of amusement and entertainment is to tell each other stories, ten each day for ten days, and it is these stories that comprise The Decameron.

The stories are delightful and earthy, oft...more

5 likes · like · see review

Aug 25, 2007 Alex rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Decameron is known for being one of Italy's most important literary works, as well as one of the most racy of its time. Having taken Italian throughout my schooling, I'd heard much about it, and so it finally came time to read it. This damn thing took me about a month to complete... it's huge... but in the long run it was worth it.

Seven women and three men escape Florence for a bit during the time of the plague, and they live a life of leisure for a while and tell stories. It's easy to see t...more The Decameron is known for being one of Italy's most important literary works, as well as one of the most racy of its time. Having taken Italian throughout my schooling, I'd heard much about it, and so it finally came time to read it. This damn thing took me about a month to complete... it's huge... but in the long run it was worth it.

Seven women and three men escape Florence for a bit during the time of the plague, and they live a life of leisure for a while and tell stories. It's easy to see the appeal... 100 short stories, most of which were entertaining, on a variety of topics, bound up in a more peripheral story, clearly an inspiration to the Canterbury Tales, which followed later in the century. It's a literary feat, for sure. As for the racy, even at their worst, Boccaccio speaks euphemistically, and usually says nothing more than that lovers "enjoy their love fully", but there was a lot of damn full love enjoyment, and I can completely see how this was considered racy in its time. It created a bizarre see-saw of feminism... between the sexual talk and some themes of women outsmarting men, there are definitely glimmers of early feminism here, but at the same time the author and indeed the women characters themselves insist upon their natural inferiority to men in many ways, making the whole book a bit of an odd balance which eventually seems to pull out as "femineutral".

However, that's not the only way the text is extremely dated. The stories themselves don't suffer so much, except for some rather wordy and repetitious passages, as so much old writing tends to contain (One of the last stories contained a paragraph at least four pages long). What does get old real fast, however, is Boccaccio-as-Narrator. One can only hear that these people praised everything they enjoyed at length so many times. The sheer predictability of the non-story time tended to get frustrating quickly. The songs... writing lyrics to fake songs in your book is like telling me "here, you don't need to read this part." I say "Thank you" and don't. And that's not even addressing the obligatory "cover my ass" introduction, explaining the whys and wherefores of the book's story and existence, and answering all possible arguments against the text. Every text of this era seems to have one, and Boccaccio, having written such a massive text, allows himself three. One to start, one to end, and one placed somewhere in the middle. These are really the worst parts of literature of this era, and to me, Boccaccio goes far enough over the top to make the rest of the book's merits dampen.

All in all, though, it's a classic for a reason. If you have the time and patience for a trek like this, you'll probably find a reward in a number of the stories.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 07, 2007 Clark rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Decameron is something that I had wanted to read since 10th grade when I first heard about it. The concept is simple: 7 young ladies and 3 young men decide to get away from the plague for a few weeks by heading to the countryside. Once they arrive, it is decided that they will each tell one story per night for the ten days they are there. So it is a collection of 100 short stories.

However, I never realized how raunchy and hilarious the stories would be. These stories are crazy clever and sev...more

4 likes · like · see review

May 18, 2013 Lona rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

في البداية لدي اعتراف:- حكايات "ألف ليلة ولية" لم أقرأ الكثير منها وقد يستغرب البعض عندما أقول أنها ليست بالمفضلة لدي، و عندما قررت أن أقرأ "الديكاميرون" لاحظت أن أغلب المراجعات تشبهها بألف ليلة وليلة وهذا لم يكن بالأمر المشجع لقراءتها ولكني قررت خوض التجربة وهذا ما كان

**

أهدى "جيوفاني بوكاشيو" هذا العمل (الديكاميرون والمعروف أيضاً بالأمير غاليوتو) لجمهور النساء لتسليَّتهن .. .. النساء اللواتي لا يملكن ما يملك الرجال من مقدرة على الترويح عن أنفسهن عند الضيق والكآبة، لكون الرجال يملكون القدرة عل...more

في البداية لدي اعتراف:- حكايات "ألف ليلة ولية" لم أقرأ الكثير منها وقد يستغرب البعض عندما أقول أنها ليست بالمفضلة لدي، و عندما قررت أن أقرأ "الديكاميرون" لاحظت أن أغلب المراجعات تشبهها بألف ليلة وليلة وهذا لم يكن بالأمر المشجع لقراءتها ولكني قررت خوض التجربة وهذا ما كان

**

أهدى "جيوفاني بوكاشيو" هذا العمل (الديكاميرون والمعروف أيضاً بالأمير غاليوتو) لجمهور النساء لتسليَّتهن .. .. النساء اللواتي لا يملكن ما يملك الرجال من مقدرة على الترويح عن أنفسهن عند الضيق والكآبة، لكون الرجال يملكون القدرة على الخروج والسفر والتسلية عندما تتأزم حالتهم النفسية، بعكسهن فالخروج في أي وقت والتسلية والسفر ليس بالأمر المتاح بسهولة (في تلك الحقبة من الزمن "وهذا الزمن في بعض الأماكن على وجه البسيطة")، ولكن بالرغم من ذلك فإن الكثير من الاستخفاف والاستهزاء موجه للجنس الناعم بين سطور هذه الرواية، أو لنقول أنه انعكاس لنموذج النساء وطبيعة حياتهن ومعاملة ونظرة المجتمع لهن في ذلك العصر

وعن الرواية أقول:- عندما اجتاح وباء الطاعون فلورنسا وبدأ بحصد الأرواح قررت سبع نساء التوقف عن إحصاء عدد الضحايا وحضور الدفن والمآتم بالخروج والهجرة لمكان بعيد للترفيه عن أنفسهن ونسيان الوباء، ولإسباغ "الشرعية" على تصرفهن قرَّرن اصطحاب ثلاثة رجال لصحبتهن وحمايتهن

ولتمضية الوقت يتناوب العشرة رواية مئة حكاية مقسمة على عشرة أيام كل يوم عشر حكايات .. .. بالرغم أن الحكايات بها الكثير من العبر والدهاء والذكاء والتهكم الشديد على رجال الدين "الرهبان"، ولكن كل هذا جاء بطابع إيروتيكي بحث وهذا ما أزعجني كثيراً وجعل الحكايات بنظري سخيفة وسطحية

***

ولأكمل اعترافي في مقدمة مراجعتي، بالرغم من أنني قرأت القليل من حكايات "ألف ليلة وليلة" ولكنها أكثر إمتاعاً، ذكاءً، دهاءً والأهم من ذلك أكثر تنوعاً وثراءً من حيث المحتوى

الكتاب بنظري يستحق نجمة ونصف لا أكثر

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 09, 2011 عبد الحميد بوحسين rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

الحكاية ،الأيروتيكا،الفكاهة
....
طيف الف ليلة ،رواة عشرة يروون الحكايات بعيدا عن موت لا يرى،موت يتحرك كشبح في الهواء،قد يختبئ ربما في ظل شجرة أو في خرقة مهملة في مكان ما: الطاعون الذي غزا فلورنسا،تحدي الموت بالحكي تماما كما فعلت شهرزاد

تتنوع مواضيع الحكايات ،كل يوم عشر حكايات،عشرة أيام بمائة حكاية هي التي تضمنها الكتاب
تسود الأيروتيكا،الحب ،المكر،الذكاء،السخرية و نقد رجال الدين

بوكاشيو يزعم أنه كتب الكتاب للنساء،بداية الكتاب عبارة عن إهداء مكتوب بعناية لهاته الأرواح الرقيقة

ثم ذلك التحذير الملغوم ،فقد...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 01, 2010 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics

The Decameron, by Giovanni Bocaccio ****

Bocaccio followed hot on the heels of Dante but in many ways the books for which they are both known could not be more different. “The Decameron” is almost the exact opposite of Dante’s “Comedia”, written in prose instead of poetry, concerned with things earthy rather than divine, governed by the number ten instead of the famous “threes”, and telling many disparate stories rather than one.

The Decameron is a collection of 100 short stories that are set with...more The Decameron, by Giovanni Bocaccio ****

Bocaccio followed hot on the heels of Dante but in many ways the books for which they are both known could not be more different. “The Decameron” is almost the exact opposite of Dante’s “Comedia”, written in prose instead of poetry, concerned with things earthy rather than divine, governed by the number ten instead of the famous “threes”, and telling many disparate stories rather than one.

The Decameron is a collection of 100 short stories that are set within a larger framing story. Set in Florence during the days of the black plague, seven women and three men set out from the city for a villa in the countryside in the hopes of escaping the many horrors of the plague. Upon arrival, they take measures to arrange for their entertainment during their stay. They decide to devote a certain amount of time every day to telling stories, each of them taking turns acting as a sort of “master of the revels”, deciding what the topic of the stories is to be. The topics range from how women contrive to fool men to stories of unrequited love, to how people have saved themselves through quick wits and clever tongues. The stories themselves run the gamut from lowbrow potty humor, to adventure on the high seas, to tales of honor and nobility.

There are, however, several themes that are common to nearly all the stories. The first of these is romantic, erotic love. Passions run wildly amok in the Decameron, often with hilarious results. Though tragedy is not completely avoided, the prologue makes it clear that these people have had their fill of tragedy. They are on vacation to lighten their souls and do so by making each other laugh. So it is that there is not a man or woman who made it to their wedding night a virgin, not a husband or wife who was not cheating or being cheated, not a monk or nun who did not think it was better to ask forgiveness for violating their vows of chastity than face the temptation and win. It should be noted that the Decameron is not gratuitous and avoids descending into mere pornography. Lewd, ribald, bawdy, yes, but Bocaccio’s goal was to entertain and educate, not merely titillate. He preserved stories that came to him from multiple sources, many of which would go on to inspire future authors. At least two of the stories from the Decameron wound up in the plays of Shakespeare.

Another theme that runs through many of the stories is a critique of the church, and in this Bocaccio parallels Dante. The excesses of Rome and many of its prelates were common knowledge at their time. Bocaccio, like his great predecessor, pulls no punches. They were the great reformers of their day, exposing the avarice and lechery that ran rampant through the church. In one of the earliest stories, a merchant daily exhorts one of his best friends, a Jew, to convert and become a Christian. The Jew, a devout and intelligent man, decides to visit Rome in order to inspect the most important city in Christendom. The merchant, knowing full well what his friend will discover there, attempts to dissuade his friend, but to no avail. The Jew goes to Rome and is disgusted by what he sees. Nevertheless, upon his return, he is baptized as a Christian. The merchant is baffled and asks for an explanation. His friend replies to the effect that if Christianity is able to spread so far and so fast in spite of the perversions of Rome, then God must be at work through the church.

One of the most interesting sections of the book is the last day. After nine days of stories that are mostly lewd, the king of the day asks that the storytellers tell tales of nobility. What happens is surprising. Whereas before it seemed that each was trying to outdo the other in lewdness, they now try to outstrip each other in honor, each telling tales of self-sacrifice greater than the one before. I think Bocaccio touches on an important truth here. We all have a tendency to want to do our neighbor one better. We are competitive creatures and we will compete no matter what the arena or contest. Set a goal of telling the dirtiest story and we will descend into the muck and start digging. Set a more lofty goal and we will start with ladders, move to mountains, and then look for wings. It is a worthy thing to compete for the title of doing the most good for the most people; everyone wins.

The Decameron was an enjoyable, if challenging, experience. It is not for the faint of heart. If you are easily offended by bawdy content, steer well clear. But for those who are not, and are looking for more than titillation, the Decameron holds much that makes it worth reading.
(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 31, 2008 Samuel Breed rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Selections from: "A Macabre Spectacle: Cruelty, Gore and Punishment in Boccaccio’s The Decameron"

In Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron, cruelty and the macabre abound the world of the protagonists. The ten people escaping the bubonic plague ridden streets of Florence for the idyllic and safe country-side, seem to carry some of the baggage of the plague with them. Although the majority of the narrators are women, cruelty and violence take center stage in many of the stories, with little or no exp...more Selections from: "A Macabre Spectacle: Cruelty, Gore and Punishment in Boccaccio’s The Decameron"

In Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron, cruelty and the macabre abound the world of the protagonists. The ten people escaping the bubonic plague ridden streets of Florence for the idyllic and safe country-side, seem to carry some of the baggage of the plague with them. Although the majority of the narrators are women, cruelty and violence take center stage in many of the stories, with little or no explanation. The use of cruelty and punishment comes in many forms: whether to gain the upper hand in a marriage, to foil a daughter or sister’s romantic entanglement, or simply for revenge, the characters in the stories of The Decameron often act like barbarous animals. Furthermore, there seems to be no commentary or judgment of such violence and cruelty by the narrators of the stories. What also plays a part in the content of the stories is the group dynamic existing in the assembly. Specifically, the stories turn from lighter faire from the first three days to much darker, more macabre pieces on the following days—and the group never seems to shake off those themes entirely. The exploration of cruelty and punishment in The Decameron is crucial to unlocking the societal nuances and social commentary contained therein.

The first example of such arises in the ninth story of the second day, narrated by Elissa. Although this story is not the most violent or macabre by any means, it brings up an important point about cruelty and punishment in The Decameron. In Elissa’s brief prologue to her even briefer story, she announces that “a single word […] has sufficed to cure a person of something against which various structures and any number of punishments have proved ineffectual” (61-62). This addresses the power of words and verbal abuse or affirmation in these stories. Many times, cruelty takes the form of verbal abuse, which proves to be nearly as damaging to the characters as physical abuse. In this story, an innocent women is “assaulted by a pack of ruffians,” and in her sorrow, takes her matters up with the King. This monarch, however, has become a doormat for all those with troubles in his domain, and there are long lines of people waiting to “relieve their feelings by shaming or insulting the King” (62). The King is weak and passive, which is attributed to the abuse that he takes. But being on the first day, before the group has shifted to darker material, this story ends happily: rather than complaining to the king about her misfortune, the women asks him how he tolerates all of the abuse he receives. The king responds to this by instantly changing his disposition and avenging the woman’s rape, from then on becoming “the implacable scourge of all those who did anything to impugn the honor of his crown” (62).

[..]

Examples of barbarous cruelty abound The Decameron, but the most interesting tend to come from the fourth day, the day so queered by Filostrato’s leadership. At the close of the third day, Filostrato announces that he has had enough of tales ending happily, and for his day, all the stories will be of love that ends badly. Even though this elicits some sarcastic responses, the stories turn to dark, macabre imagery. Perhaps the two most graphic stories of the fourth day are first, told by Fiammetta, and the ninth, told by Filostrato. And both involve the consumption of human hearts. In Fiammetta’s story, the unmarried daughter of a latently incestuous father takes a lover in secret, as she does not want to leave her father. The father, Tancredi, witnesses the two copulating, and decides, rather than to approve of his daughter’s love, to murder her lover. The interesting aspect of Fiammetta’s story is the character of the Daughter, Ghismonda. She is introduced as being “youthful and vivacious […] with more intelligence than a woman needs” (291). This intelligence becomes important when she confronts her father about the murder of her lover. She is steadfast and nearly defiant, all while still placating her father. At the close of the story, Tancredi serves Ghismonda the heart of her lover, doused in poison, in a golden chalice. This anti-sacrament is what ultimately allows Ghismonda to be united with her lover eternally. This punishment seems very extreme and Tancredi is very much a villain. He not only murders his daughter’s lover, but he loses his daughter with his lavishly insane gesture of offering her his heart in a cup. This level of cruelty is psychotic, and certainly does not fulfill the groups original intention of escapism through storytelling.

Filostrato’s story on the fourth day—his day—is, obviously, well in line with his theme of love ending “badly.” The story is short and simple: two noble knights, “bosom friends” from adventure and fighting live in relative close proximity to one another. One knight, Guillaume de Roussillon, falls “hopelessly” in love with the wife of his friend, Guillaume de Cabestanh. Upon bringing his love to the lady’s attention, Guillaume de Roussillon successfully woos his friend’s wife. Unfortunately though, the other Guillaume discovers the affair and is filled with mortal, vengeful hatred for his dear friend. He arranges a tournament which his adulterous pal can’t help but join, and promptly sets in motion plans to murder him. Guillaume de Cabestanh lies in ambush for his friend, attacking him at close range with several men. Guillaume de Roussillon is unarmed, and unable to prevent the husband of his love from tearing his heart out of chest “with his own hands” while screaming “Traitor, you are dead!” (350). With his wife’s lover successfully vanquished, Guillaume turns his sadistic attention towards his wife, turning the heart into “a dish that was too exquisite for words” (351). The wife eats every last morsel, savoring the ‘hearty’ dish. Roussillon then explains the true nature of her meal, in horrific detail. His wife, obviously shocked by his barbaric gesture, tells his that he is an “evil and treacherous knight,” and throws herself out of the nearest window. Roussillon panics at this, leaving town the next morning. The townspeople uncover what had happened, and buried the two lovers together.

[...]

The last story of the last day is unquestionably the centerpiece for cruelty in The Decameron. And it comes from a surprising source. Dionio is one of the three male narrators, goes last on each day, and is probably the most entertaining storyteller of them all. He tries to change the mood after Filostrato’s day of gloom, but eventually tells the most negative story of them all. He does preface it by saying that he does “not advise anyone to follow [this] example,” and that it is filled “senseless brutality” (784). His story is about the cruelty that the Marquis de Saluzzo, named Gualtieri, exudes on his wife. Gualtieri did not want a wife, but as tradition dictates, he took one. A peasant woman, named Griselda, is chosen, and then Gualtieri goes to work. He sets out to humiliate and mentally torture her, just for his own satisfaction. He tells her that their children have been murdered, and that he must take another wife. She waits six years living in absolute poverty, but eventually breaks Gualtieri’s patience. Gualtieri then decides that it is time to return her children and they live out the rest of their life together. The oddest thing about this story is that for how cruel Gualtieri is to his wife, she passively accepts it, not voicing the smallest complaint. This is what frustrates Gualtieri, and forces him to put an end to his game. The lesson from this story is a strange one indeed. The near god-like patience of Griselda is something that could be admired, but it seems insane that she would stand for any of it, without any form of resistance. And although the story lacks the gore that some of the others do, it makes up for it in psychological torture, which can prove to just as harmful and any physical attack.

The use of cruelty, punishment and gore as devices for storytelling in The Decameron work to help delineate the moods, attitudes, and feelings of the various narrators and add another layer of interest to these stories. Without these in place, the stories would fall flat, and would actually make for much less engaging reading. Perhaps that is the reason why they are all so prevalent in the stories. These are not the only motifs that bind the hundred stories of The Decameron together, but they do help to create a new dimension of intrigue. The placement of unjust violence in the hands of the unintelligent also speaks much of Boccaccio. Emulated by Chaucer, Boccaccio crafts a framework of a negative moral compass. A “what not to do” guide for his contemporary Florentine. Although these stories are collected for the most part, rather than invented, the more subtle elements such as choice of motifs and narrative voice are where Boccaccio’s own influence can be seen. Overall, the punishment, death, and psychological cruelty are all elements that without which, The Decameron would be greatly lacking.

(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 29, 2012 Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was introduced to The Decameron through a required reading list and only read the selected stories as per the syllabus. I can't wait to read the whole thing, cover to cover, all 802 pages! The Decameron is comprised of 100 stories of love, loss, betrayal, wit, alliance and the erotic. Yes, I said "erotic" - even a bit shocking at times.

A group of seven noble Florentine women are in the church of Santa Maria Novella trying to figure out how they can get out of town during the Black Plague. Thre...more

like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 ميّ أحمد rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(أما ما يخصني فأقول أن الطبيعة قد مالت بي مذ كنتُ في بطن أمي , إلى التأملات الشعرية , وهو ما يدفعني إلى التقدير بأنني ولدتُ من أجل الأدب وحسب )*

يبدو أن بوكاشيو كان يعرف مصيره منذ أن خرج للحياة , هذا الإيطالي الذي كرس حياته لأجل خدمة الأدب , من يعتبره النقاد في أوربا المُعلّم البارز والمؤسس للرواية الحديثة , من شرع الأبواب أمام إيطاليا لتطرح البذرة الأولى لفن السرد القصصي ..
وقبل أن أخوض في الحديث عن الرواية أجد لزاما أن أشير إلى الفصل الرائع الذي تركه لنا صالح علماني, فصل خاص أفرده لحياة بوكاشي...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 27, 2011 Walkergeraldine rated it 4 of 5 stars

A collection of 100 short stories written in the 14th century, written not in a "high" or scholarly manner but for everyday folk, and not in Latin but in Italian. The book is overall very good, though the stories run the gamut from excellent to page-filler.
The best stories are the funny ones, particularly the ones told by Dioneo, whose tales conclude each set of ten stories and which are at times amazingly and hilariously vulgar. The story about "putting the Devil back into hell" made me laugh...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 27, 2011 Daniel Banker rated it 3 of 5 stars

Here's one to counter the old argument that any given contemporary society is by far the worst the world has seen as defined by the people that are forced by coincidence of time and place to live in it. The events necessary to produce every permutation of sex scene are so luridly transparent here that even ye olde immoral Hollywood no doubt would cringe. My favorite passage:

“What Peitro arranged after supper to satisfy all three of them has entirely gone out of my head. But I know that next morn...more

like · see review

Aug 06, 2011 Nicholas Whyte rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1775820...

It is not all that long since I read The Canterbury Tales, which comes from the same century and draws from the same roots (the Reeve's Tale and the Franklin's Tale are indeed both in the Decameron in slightly different form). But I was struck by how much more enjoyable the Decameron is. For a start, it is actually complete - ten days of ten people telling a tale each, to give a hundred short stories and a framing narrative. It is also striking that the du...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 17, 2009 Rob rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics

Overall not a bad book, but it suffered from too much repetition. Each story seemed quite similar to others, so over 100 tales it just didn't hold the interest that I would have hoped it would. It was also quite bawdy, which I don't particularly mind, but over 100 tales, it just got old. There's only so much of "he wants to nail her, she wants to nail him, he wants to nail 'em all, etc..." before its like enough already...

I also couldn't help but feel that a lot of the characters were really stu...more

like · see review

Jul 25, 2009 Kate marked it as to-read

Shelves: rome

from amazon: (via my mom)

Bawdy tales of love, February 18, 2009
This was required reading for a graduate course in medieval history.
The "Decameron" is a collection of 100 novellas by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio, probably begun in 1350 and finished in 1353. It is a medieval allegorical work best known for its bawdy tales of love, appearing in all its possibilities from the erotic to the tragic. Other topics such as wit and witticism, practical jokes and worldly initiation also form part of...more from amazon: (via my mom)

Bawdy tales of love, February 18, 2009
This was required reading for a graduate course in medieval history.
The "Decameron" is a collection of 100 novellas by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio, probably begun in 1350 and finished in 1353. It is a medieval allegorical work best known for its bawdy tales of love, appearing in all its possibilities from the erotic to the tragic. Other topics such as wit and witticism, practical jokes and worldly initiation also form part of the mosaic. Beyond its entertainment and literary popularity, it remains an important historical document of life in the fourteenth century.

Decameron is structured in a frame narrative, or frame tale. Boccaccio begins with a description of the Black Death and leads into an introduction of a group of seven young women and three young men who flee from plague-ridden Florence to a villa in the (then) countryside of Fiesole for two weeks. To pass the time, each member of the party tells one story for each one of the nights spent at the villa. Although fourteen days pass, two days each week are set aside: one day for chores and one holy day during which no work is done. In this manner, 100 stories are told by the end of the ten days. Each of the ten characters is charged as King or Queen of the company for one of the ten days in turn. This charge extends to choosing the theme of the stories for that day, and all but two days have topics assigned: examples of the power of fortune; examples of the power of human will; love tales that end tragically; love tales that end happily; clever replies that save the speaker; tricks that women play on men; tricks that people play on each other in general; examples of virtue. Only Dioneo, who usually tells the tenth tale each day, has the right to tell a tale on any topic he wishes, due to his wit. Each day also includes a short introduction and conclusion to continue the frame of the tales by describing other daily activities besides story telling. These frame tale interludes frequently include transcriptions of Italian folk songs. The interactions among tales in a day, or across days, as Boccaccio spins variations and reversals of previous material, forms a whole and not just a collection of stories. The basic plots of the stories including mocking the lust and greed of the clergy; tensions in Italian society between the new wealthy commercial class and noble families; the perils and adventures of traveling merchants. The title is a portmanteau, or combination of two Greek words meaning "ten" and "day". Boccacio made similar Greek etymological plays of words in his other works. The subtitle is Prencipe Galeotto, which derives from the opening material in which Boccaccio dedicates the work to ladies of the day who did not have the diversions of men (hunting, fishing, riding, falconry) who were forced to conceal their amorous passions and stay idle and concealed in their rooms. Thus, the book is subtitled Prencipe Galeotto, that is Galehaut, the go-between of Lancelot and Guinevere, a nod to Dante's allusion to Galeotto in "Inferno V", who was blamed for the arousal of lust in the episode of Paolo and Francesca.

Throughout Decameron, the mercantile ethic prevails and predominates. The commercial and urban values of quick wit, sophistication, and intelligence are treasured, while the vices of stupidity and dullness are cured, or punished. While these traits and values will seem obvious to the modern reader, they were an emerging feature in Europe with the rise of urban centers and a monetized economic system beyond the traditional rural feudal and monastery systems, which placed greater value on piety and loyalty. Beyond the unity provided by the frame narrative, Decameron provides a unity in philosophical outlook. Throughout runs the common medieval theme of Lady Fortune, and how quickly one can rise and fall through the external influences of the "Wheel of Fortune". Boccaccio had been educated in the tradition of Dante's Divine Comedy, which used various levels of allegory to show the connections between the literal events of the story and the hidden Christian message. However, Decameron uses Dante's model not to educate the reader, but to satirize this method of learning. The Roman Catholic Church, priests, and religious belief become the satirical source of comedy throughout. This was part of a wider historical trend in the aftermath of the Black Death, which saw widespread discontent with the church. Many details of the Decameron are infused with a medieval sense of numerological and mystical significance. For example, it is widely believed that the seven young women are meant to represent the Four Cardinal Virtues (Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude) and the Three Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity). It is further supposed that the three men represent the classical Greek tripartite division of the soul (Reason, Spirit, and Lust, see Book IV of Republic). Boccaccio himself notes that the names he gives for these ten characters are in fact pseudonyms chosen as "appropriate to the qualities of each". The Italian names of the seven women, in the same (most likely significant) order as given in the text, are: Pampinea, Fiammetta, Filomena, Emilia, Lauretta, Neifile, and Elissa. The men, in order, are: Panfilo, Filostrato, and Dioneo.

Recommended reading for anyone interested in literature and medieval history.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 26, 2011 Kristin added it · review of another edition

I can't believe I actually finally finished this whole book! I started it almost 3 years ago for my freshman Honors seminar. Many of the stories are really fantastic, & it is especially interesting when you place it into historical context. Witty, funny, and deliciously dirty with the most wonderful euphemisms. It is pretty hefty, though, a hundred short stories, all similar in style. Without one strong through-line to pull you along, the book is best taken a little at a time (which is why,...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 02, 2011 Jennifer Malin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ten young people flee medieval Florence during the plague and take refuge on a beautiful country estate, where they amuse themselves telling stories for ten days. For me, the stories were more intriguing than entertaining. It was interesting to see what sorts of stories people told at that time.

Some of the "clever" speeches or retorts made by characters don't seem to transcend time and translation, but the values these admired characters espouse are timeless. On the other hand, many other chara...more

like · see review

Dec 13, 2012 Barbara78e rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

E’ un peccato che quest’opera non venga approfondita a scuola, così come la Commedia. Se Dante è il padre della poesia italiana, Boccaccio lo è sicuramente della prosa.
Siamo a Firenze, in piena peste. Sette donne e tre uomini si rifugiano appena fuori città. Qui passeranno dieci giorni e ogni giorno, governato da un “re” o una “regina”, i dieci narratori racconteranno ciascuno dieci novelle. Ci saranno dieci temi: il primo sarà libero; il secondo è il “lieto fine” dopo molte traversie; il terzo...more

like · see review

Sep 13, 2010 Cody rated it 4 of 5 stars

yo so i only read half the stories because seriously there's a bunch but here are some key pranks

- guy pretends to be mute and works at a nunnery... and then the nuns all get on his dilz!!! all 9 of em! he has babies and becomes king of nuns SURPRISE
- guy wants to have sex with daughter so he tells her her youknowwhat is Hell and his youknowwhat is the devil... and he needs to send the devil back to hell.. SURPRISE
- guy wants to make sure his wife loves him, so he tells her he's sending their ba...more

like · see review

Mar 28, 2011 Kevin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After The Inferno, I thought, why not give the Decameron a try? Well, it’s a hell of a lot longer than the Inferno--Decameron=10 days. That's 10 days of stories by 10 people, one story each/day. Do the math. That’s 100 stories. Now, I have absolutely nothing against long books. I can get lost in multi-hundred page books. But I pretty much got the idea after Day Two. The stories are slightly.. OK, often, quite ribald and sacrilegious. Which in itself is pretty funny, because Boccaccio dedicates t...more

like · see review

Jan 04, 2013 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first time I came accross this book I opened it at a random page and starting reading. Having enjoyed the first story I returned to the beging to familiarise myself with the premise. Then continued coming back to it, picking a different story in no particular order every time.
I found the reading of The Decameron came surprisingly easy to me because of the simplicity in which the narrators convey their messages (after all story telling for your mates' entertainment should be effortless) and...more

like · see review

Jan 25, 2012 Tereneh rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Decameron - interesting to read the different voices in the story Boccaccio created, some funny, a lot smutty, some insightful...

I am not sure if I had the best translation, I had Oxford not the Penguin version. I had a feeling that the translation was dumbed down a tad or maybe the translation was too too modern? Not sure.

I had to overlook all the many "love at first sight" and everyone or most in the stories were the "most beautiful" etc etc. But to put it in its context it makes sense, th...more

like · see review

Mar 25, 2009 Allison rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008, own

I found the look at 14th C Italian culture quite fascinating (at least as Boccaccio presented it)...and laughed at the ridiculously sexist comments the author and characters made. If I knew a friend were reading this, I'd recommend a different translation, because there seemed to be quite a few modern phrases...either that or Boccaccio is responsible for more colloquialisms in English than I was aware of (not being aware of any). Also, while I recognize the talent in having the 10 different char...more

like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 Arwen56 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: racconti

Il Decamerone mi è piaciuto sin dalla prima lettura. Possiede una notevole modernità. Innanzitutto, è un’opera fondamentalmente “laica”, il che non è pregio da sottovalutare. In secondo luogo, le figure femminili hanno una certa valenza e incisività, ulteriore merito da considerare. La struttura letteraria è solida e ben organizzata. La materia è varia, benché predomini il tema “amoroso”.
Nell’insieme è, dunque, un testo molto armonioso. Qualche inciampo può derivare dal linguaggio, che è, ovvia...more

like · see review

Jan 10, 2009 Erik Simon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Here's the deal. I picked this up and fully loved how ten people, seven dames and three guys, fled a city riddled with the plague and thousands of corpses and headed into the country to be happy during so much sadness. And I love how, to brook the hot afternoons, they agreed to tell a story, each, thus ten stories for what would be ten days. And I even loved the stories . . . the first day. By the end of the second day, I was thinking, "Okay, these stories are cute, and some are certainly tittil...more

like · see review

title link	preview: The Decameron
avg rating	preview: The Decameron Goodreads rating: 3.82 (11540 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=https://www.goodreadsbookswap.com/book/show/51799.The_Decameron?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1362720861l/51799.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://www.goodreadsbookswap.com/book/show/51799.The_Decameron?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio[/url]

The Decameron

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (273)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Giovanni Boccaccio

Books by Giovanni Boccaccio

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The Decameron

Quotes from The Decameron