Format:Kindle Book Languages:English (Unknown), English (Published) Media:Kindle Edition Edition:Revised Pages:1072 Number Of Items:1
Dewey Decimal Number:853.1 ASIN:B001Q23VFM
Publication Date:January 11, 2009
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Bawdy tales of loveApril 30, 2007 Michael A Neulander(VA) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
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 Beyond its entertainment and literary popularity, it remains an important historical document of life in the fourteenth century.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.
Essential book for any High School Student.June 29, 1998 2 out of 3 found this review helpful
The Decameron is a book which is so diverse and full of information, style, insight, that it is an esstial novel for the high school english student to read. It is saterical and entertaining, I found it hard to put down. When i was taking English class in high school I found that the Decameron gave me a base for all that I learned in class. I used it for examples, references, as well as a source of information which gave me an idea on what people were like during that time period of history. I also found that I helped me endlessly when my class revieved The Canterbury Tails, which based most or all it's tails on the Decameron.
life is lifeNovember 2, 2000 as i approached boccaccio`s decameron i was forced not to to stop reading it and though it`s language was rather hard giovvanni`s strange ability of putting words together made me comprehend every single part of it.ten young people chose to escape the devastating plague by going into a solitary house a little away from florence.in order to avoid burdom they all agreed that each one of them to tell a story each day .boccaccio used such stories to depict the absurdities and moral corruption of the many people living . all in all the gift of poety and literature that he has enabled his story to be very amusing , he could serve his aim through the book by using a light comic style which made it interesting to whoever reads it.
Entertaining Audio BookMarch 11, 2008 Jeffrey Van Wagoner(Gilbert, AZ USA) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This review is for the unabridged Blackstone audio book narrated by Frederick Davidson. I have a rather long commute, so I pass the time listening to audio books and I have been working my way through several of the classics. I saw that the Decameron was available and that it had good reviews so I gave it a shot. It turned out to be a very enjoyable listening experience.
The reader has a very appropriate voice for this book. He does a good job changing his voice to match the different characters. The translation is somewhat archaic and was initially hard to follow until I got used to the terms. I actually got to enjoy some of the terms after awhile. For example, when addressing the women in the storytelling group, the men would call them `lovesome ladies'.
The 100 stories in the Decameron were delightful. They were told in groups of ten, with a theme for each. Some were very bawdy, and I'm hoping adultery wasn't as common of a practice in the 14th century as indicated. I recognized many of the storylines in movies I have seen or books I have read. It's amazing how much creativity one man can generate. The stories occurred mostly in Italy, but covered much of Europe and the Muslim world as well. Boccaccio clearly used his satire to skewer the hypocritical churchmen of his time. It was very interesting to see what the world was like in those days.
This is clearly a classic that deserves to be read. The audio book was also very good, but be aware that it may take the first hour or two to get used to the archaic language. After the adjustment, it turns out to be a gem.
Kindle customers beware!March 18, 2009 Charles S. Houser(Binghamton, NY) 8 out of 9 found this review helpful
Amazon has linked this book to the page for Penguin's edition of The Decameron translated by G.H. McWilliam. After careful shopping for the "right translation," I ended up purchasing McWilliams'. And the more I read it the happier I am with my choice. When I saw that the book was also available for my Kindle I impulsively downloaded it. WARNING: This is NOT the McWilliam's translation (it seems to be a very old, public domain text); nor does it include McWilliams' excellent and conprehensive introduction.
My advice to Kindle customers: When buying classic literature in translation for downloading, always order a free sample first so you be sure it's the translation you want.
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