#5921
Mentioned in 8 episodes

The Decameron

Book • 1872
The Decameron is a collection of novellas written by Giovanni Boccaccio, composed between 1349 and 1353.

The book is structured as a frame story where ten young people (seven women and three men) escape the Black Death in Florence by retreating to a villa in the countryside.

Over ten days, each member of the group tells a story, resulting in a total of 100 tales.

The stories cover a wide range of themes, including love, fortune, wit, and deception.

Boccaccio's work is notable for its humanistic perspective, emphasizing intelligence and wit over dogma, and it provides a vivid portrayal of contemporary urban society during the time of the plague.

The Decameron has had a profound influence on Renaissance literature and continues to be a significant work in Italian literature.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 8 episodes

Mentioned by Trevor Noah when discussing humor in the context of political violence and survival.
163 snips
Sex, Comedy and Context: A Live Conversation with Trevor Noah
Mentioned by Helen Carr as a fictional volume giving some idea as to how people responded to the Black Death.
45 snips
Plague, famine and chivalry: a human history of the 14th century
Mentioned by Emily Butterworth when comparing Marguerite de Navarre's "Heptameron" to a similar work.
20 snips
Marguerite de Navarre
Mentioned by Sarah Bakewell as another key figure in the early development of humanism, alongside Petrarch.
231 | Sarah Bakewell on the History of Humanism
Mentioned by Michael Knowles in comparison to Chaucer's work, noting similarities in framework.
The Book Club: The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer with Catherine Illingworth
Mentioned by Marion Turner in relation to Chaucer's use of 100 tales in The Canterbury Tales.
Marion Turner: Chaucer's world
Mentioned by Margaret L. King as a progenitor of the tradition of considering women's place in society.
In Defense of Women with Margaret L. King
Mentioned by John J. Miller as a book previously discussed by Paul Rahe on the podcast.
Episode 350: 'The Histories' by Herodotus
Mentioned by Anna Wainwright for his contrasting portrayal of widows, showing both the tragic and the liberated aspects.
Anna Wainwright, "Widow City: Gender, Emotion, and Community in the Italian Renaissance" (U Delaware Press, 2025)
Mentioned by Kathryn VanArendonk while discussing the Netflix adaptation of the original text.
521: Whiling Away Dark Times With The Decameron
Mentioned by Jordan Schneider as a fictional work depicting a group of young people escaping the plague in Florence, offering a glimpse into Renaissance life.
R&D Renaissance with Kumar Garg
Erwähnt von Konrad Paul Liessmann im Zusammenhang mit der Pest in Florenz.
Die Corona-Kultur – mit Konrad Paul Liessmann – #306
Mentioned by Ada Palmer in the context of his role in the Italian Renaissance.
Ada Palmer, "Inventing the Renaissance: The Myth of a Golden Age" (U Chicago Press, 2025)
Menzionato da Rick Dufer come esempio di testo letterario da insegnare a scuola.
Insegnare la BIBBIA a Scuola? Ma certo, Valditara, ma cerrrrrto...
Mentioned by Eleanor Janega as a 14th-century book offering a glimpse into life during the Black Death.
Christmas Movie Knight

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