Boccaccio's "Decameron" as a Social Criticism

Paper Summary:

This paper shows that Giovanni Boccaccio wrote "The Decameron" for several reasons. The paper suggests that "The Decameron" was meant to be a way to educate women that did not attend school, a way for Boccaccio himself to deal with his own "lovesickness," and to offer solace to others that also feel lovesick. But perhaps the most significant reason for writing "The Decameron" was to comment on various aspects of society that he found to be flawed or unsound. To help demonstrate his point, the author of the paper uses the stories "Ser Cepperello," "Masetto di Lamporecchio," "Friar Cipolla," and "The Abbott and Ferondo" as examples.

From the Paper:

"He did this in a somewhat inconspicuous way, by not actually writing a work of condemnation or disapproval. Instead, by joining together several stories of lust, greed, corruption, and infidelity, as told by ten youths during the plague, Boccaccio effectively criticizes several facets of society. The church and it's many faults is one of these facets that Boccaccio criticizes at length. "

More papers on Boccaccio's "Decameron" as a Social Criticism:

• Analytical Essay # 30289 : "Decameron"
• Book Review # 49914 : "Giovanni Boccaccio's "The Decameron"
• Analytical Essay # 135985 : "Learning as a Social Activity"

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