1st Day of Decameron (1st-4th Story) - 1017 Words

Summary of Decameron tales First day The basilica of Santa Maria Novella, with a Renaissance faà §ade that was completed about 100 years after the Decameron was written. Before beginning the story-telling sessions, the ten young Florentines, 7 women and 3 men, referred to as the Brigata,[1] gather at the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella and together decide to escape Black Death by leaving the city to stay in a villa in the countryside for the next two weeks. Each agrees to tell one story each day for ten days. The stories are told in the garden of the first villa that the company stays at, which (although fictional) is located a few miles outside the city. Under the rule of Pampinea, the first day of story-telling is open topic. Although†¦show more content†¦Thus it could not be determined who was heir to the estate. Likewise, it cannot be determined which faith is the truth. Saladin appreciates Melchizedeks wisdom and decides to be honest with him. In the end, Saladin gets his loan and repays it and Melchizedek gets Saladins respect and gifts of praise for his intelligence. Filomena narrates this tale, which portrays the main character as wise and in a positive light. Unlike other medieval and Renaissance authors, Boccaccio treats Jews with a respect that makes even modern readers feel comfortable. Boccaccio may have had contact with Jews while living in Naples as a young man. The oldest source is found in a French work by Stephen of Bourbon called The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, a slightly younger (c. 1270–1294) French poem called Li dis dou vrai aniel was Boccaccios probable source. This tale was especially popular in the Renaissance and can be found in many versions all over Europe. It is also referred to as The Tale of the Three Rings and The Legend of the Three Rings and, according to Carlo Ginzburg, was quoted in the heresy trial of the Italian miller Menocchio.[2] Fourth tale (I, 4) A young monk lapses into seducing a young woman and is secretly observed by an elder abbot. However, he knows that he has been seen and so leaves, on pretense of finishing a task, and gives the key to his room to the abbot, who then goes to see the girl for himself. On seeing the