85 pages 2 hours read

Giovanni Boccaccio

The Decameron

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1353

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Essay Topics

1.

The Decameron uses the story of the Florentine youths as a framing device. In what ways do their experiences of society’s travails and the Black Death influence their choice of themes and stories?

2.

The corruption of the clergy is a key part of many of the stories. In what way is the portrayal of the clergy separate from the portrayal of religion?The corruption of the clergy is a key part of many of the stories. In what way is the portrayal of the clergy separate from the portrayal of religion?

3.

Can The Decameron be considered a proto-feminist text? How does Boccaccio depict femininity? How do female characters exercise or lose agency in these stories?