T: “Federigo’s Falcon”
from the Decameron
A: Giovanni Boccaccio
N: Italian
G: novella/short story (part of a frame story)
Prentice Hall Literature (pages 742-751)
CHOOSE ONE and respond in a
paragraph (4-6 sentences):
Proofread!!!!!
What is your most prized
possession? Would you ever be
willing to part with it? Explain why
you would or would not.
OR
What role, do you think, does
chance or luck play in the
achievement of happiness? Do
you believe in destiny, or do you
believe you control your future?
Explain.
Anticipation Guide:
Answer Agree/Disagree to the following statements
BEFORE you read “Federigo’s Falcon.”
•You should be willing to do anything for love.
*Love conquers all.
*Pets are family too.
*It’s okay to use people to get what you need.
*It’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.
*Love is more important than any possession.
•Impressing others is an important part of life!
“Federigo’s Falcon” Vocabulary
Record the vocabulary:
1)
Courtly- (adj.) dignified, polite; elegant (745)
2)
Sumptuous- (adj.) costly; lavish (745)
3)
Chaste- (adj.) innocent; pure (745)
4)
Frugally- (adj.) thriftily; economically (745)
5)
Deference- (n) courteous regard or respect (748)
6)
Affably- (adv.) in a friendly manner (748)
7)
Impertinence- (n) insolence; impudence (748)
8)
Contrary- (adj.) unfavorable (748)
9)
Despondent- (adj.) dejected; hopeless (749)
Next, find the sentence from the story in which the word was
used and copy it.
---------Literary Terms--------------(We will apply these terms as we read.)
Theme
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The central message or lesson of a story
(the main idea)
Should be something the reader can apply
to their own lives
Directly stated theme- the author tells the
reader.
Implied theme- the readers have to guess
the main idea by using clues from the work.
Symbol
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Using an object or repetitive theme to
represent a larger idea
(An object that stands for something else)
Example:

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Wedding rings
A cross
Skull and crossbones
Conflict

Struggle between two forces in a story
Types of conflict:

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Man vs. Man
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Supernatural
Man vs. Society
Man vs. Self (internal conflict)
Situational Irony


When you get the opposite of what you
expect in a situation
Surprise ending of a story
Dramatic Irony


When the audience is aware of information
that the characters are unaware of
(When we (the readers) know something a
character doesn’t know)
Characterization

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Methods used by an author to reveal the
looks, beliefs, motivations or personality of
a character
Two types of characterization:


Direct characterization – author comes out and
tells you exactly what the character is like
Indirect characterization – you must decide about
the character based on character’s words and
actions
As you read, list the characteristics of
Federigo. Are these examples of direct or
indirect characterization?
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List the characteristics of Monna
Giovanna. Are these examples of
direct or indirect characterization?
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After Reading Activities:
(Applications of Literary Terms)

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What directly stated theme is stated at the
beginning of the work?
What implied theme can you infer from the
work?
What dramatic irony occurs in the work?
What situational irony occurs in the work?
What could the falcon symbolize in this
work?
Which character has an internal conflict?
What was it?
Review Questions:

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1) How did Federigo feel about Monna Giovanna when the
story opened? Midway? At the end?
2) How did Monna Giovanna treat Federigo at the beginning
of the story?
3) What happened to Federigo as a result of Monna
Giovanna’s lack of interest?
4) After becoming a widow, what tragic turn happened in the
life of her son? What was his one desire?
5) How does the story end for Federigo?
6) Do you think he regretted his decision to sacrifice his
falcon? Why or why not?
7) How might the outcome of the story have been different if
Monna had told Federigo at the start of her visit that she had
come for the falcon?
Plot the following on the diagram:
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Monna eats the falcon she came to get.
Federigo spends all his money to woo Monna, but she is not
impressed (external conflict).
Monna’s brothers urge her to marry again.
Monna’s son becomes sick and asks for the falcon.
Federigo decides to feed Monna the falcon.
Monna asks Federigo for the falcon.
Federigo shows Monna the beak and feathers.
Monna marries Federigo.
Federigo blames Fortune (external conflict).
Monna’s son dies.
Monna’s husband dies and she moves to the country.
Monna’s son befriends Federigo.
Federigo says he will be more wise with money.
Federigo moves to the country when he becomes poverty-stricken.
Monna asks Federigo to dine with her.
Monna debates asking Federigo for the falcon (internal conflict).
Connect it to today…

Federigo and Monna G. live in 14th C Italy, but we share with them
some basic human problems. Some of their struggles include:

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Federigo loves someone who doesn’t love him.
Giovanna must cope with a dying son’s wish.
Giovanna has to ask a favor of someone she has ignored and rejected.
Federigo has to deal with the discovery that a noble gesture was actually a
terrible mistake.
Find more contemporary examples of these lovers’
problems.
How would a modern filmmaker treat these characters?
How are Federigo’s and Monna’s problems like and
different from the problems faced by lovers today? Imagine
there is a new movie today that is loosely based on this
work. Your main characters are Fred and Mary and the
scene is Bladenboro, NC in 2013. Describe what would
occur in the modern day play. How would things be
different than that of “Federigo’s Falcon”? What actor and
actress would you cast as Fred and Mary? Why did you
choose these thespians?