#3131

Mentioned in 9 episodes

The Decameron

Book • 1872

Giovanni Boccaccio

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

Kathryn VanArendonk

Jordan Schneider

Angelina Stanford

Michael Knowles

Anna Wainwright

Konrad Paul Liessmann

Margaret L. King

Mentioned in 9 episodes

Mentioned by

Trevor Noah

when discussing humor in the context of political violence and survival.

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.

Plague, famine and chivalry: a human history of the 14th century

Mentioned by

Angelina Stanford

when discussing the allegorical theory of stories.

Episode 261: “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare, Acts 1 & 2

Mentioned by Emily Butterworth when comparing Marguerite de Navarre's "Heptameron" to a similar work.

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

Eleanor Janega

as a collection of stories including cuckolding stories and stories of beautiful women.

Medieval Beauty Standards with Kate Lister

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

Simon Schama

as a book read during COVID.

Simon Schama on Pandemics and the Health of Nations, Part Two

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

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

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