Giovanni
Boccaccio
AP English Literature
Gabi Mark
Period 3
Early Life
Boccaccio was born in 1313 to an unknown woman
and Boccaccino di Chellino
He grew up in Florence, and was dissatisfied with
his life there, largely because of his father’s pressure
to engage in business
His father, a merchant, did not approve of his
interest in literature and sent him to learn business
in Naples
Time In Naples
While in Naples, Boccaccio observed the
aristocracy and social structure that revolved
around chivalry and feudalism
He took up the study of canon law and became
acquainted with the intellectuals
In Naples he found inspiration for what would
soon be one of his beloved characters, Fiammeta.
It is believed her name was Maria, and that she
was the daughter of King Robert and a count of
Aquino-though there is no proof that she existed
Early Writings
In 1340 Boccaccio’s father called him
back to Florence because of his recent
bankruptcy
Boccacio had already compiled works
in Naples to bring back with him to
Florence, some of the more notable
pieces are: Il filocolo (“The Love
Afflicted”), El filostrato (“The Love
Struck), and Teseida.
These works revolved around themes of
chivalry and love, though he added his
own twist to writing that reflected his
own observations and insights
Boccaccio’s Style
Boccaccio sought to present the feudal era as ideal and glorious
by a display of learning and rhetorical embellishments
He also popularized ottava rima, the verse meter used by minstrels,
which would become the preffered method of Italian verse
The subject of medieval life was not revolutionary, but it is the way
Boccaccio treated his characters, that was different
In Federigo’s Falcon, a tale from Boccaccio’s Decameron, a man
strives with fortune, but learns to overcome the superficiality, and
becomes truly noble. This concept of accepting consequences,
circumstances, obstacles and achieving a a virtuous life is entirely
humanistic, and characteristic of Boccaccio
His unique approach to literature generated interest in his works
and his writing style, in particular, the Decameron sparked
excitement
The Decameron
“Ten Days Work”
Written in 1358, Boccaccio narrates the story of seven
women and three men who live in a country villa for
ten days after escaping the plague in Florence
The individuals decide that they will alternate as king
or queen and the ruler shall decide their activities for
the day, one of these activities being storytelling
These stories amount to 100 in all, and each story ends
with a conzone- a song. These songs make up some of
Boccaccio’s finest lyric poetry
The dominant theme in the work reflects his
observations of the refined bourgeoisie, and he weaves
many moral lessons concerning fidelity, humility,
avarice, and compassion
This particular work influenced writers from different
regions and eras.
Boccaccio’s Influence
Shakespeare, and Geoffrey Chaucer are
among the many writers to have
borrowed Boccaccio’s style
Poets George Elliot, Alfred Lord
Tennyson, John Keats, Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow have all written
poems around the Decameron
19th-century critic Francesco De Sanctis
regarded the Decameron as a “Human
Comedy”, and Boccaccio as the pioneer
of a new moral order that would
supersede the middle ages
Later Life And Death
In 1370 Boccaccio took a final trip to Naples, and then
retired in Certaldo
He became troubled by obesity, scabies, and high fevers
Also in a state of financial trouble, and after learning
of the death of his friend, the poet Petrarch, Boccaccio
wrote poems with a more somber and critical tone
He died in 1375 at his home in Certaldo
Bibliography
“Boccaccio’s Life and Works”. Decameron Web. Brown U, 12 March 2010.
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/boccaccio/life1_en.php
Giovanni Boccaccio". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 30 Jan. 2013
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/70836/Giovanni-Boccaccio>.
" Giovanni Boccaccio." 2012. FamousAuthors.org 30 January,
<http://www.famousauthors.org/giovanni-boccaccio
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