It is quite obvious that The Decameron embraces the latter thought on preservation, as it has already been established that the topic of sex fills the narrative. It is important to note that this train of thought directly influenced the very characters telling the stories. This is evident by looking within the introduction of The Decameron and the sequence of events leading to the groups escape into the country, which are as follows. Early in The Decameron, as the seven women discuss matters in the church, one of them enviously notes that the people who pursue this "free-spirited" outlook "draw no distinction, as I have frequently heard and seen for myself, between what is honest and dishonest; and provided only that they are prompted by their appetites, they will do whatever affords them the greatest pleasure, whether by day or by night, alone or in company (15)." Resultantly, the rest are led to ask, "What are we waiting for (16)?", as if to say "lets jump on the bandwagon and fulfill are desires." Soon after, the seven women and three men quickly find themselves leaving town with only with an agenda to "pursue whatever pleasures and entertainments the present times would afford while shunning at all costs the lewd practices of their fellow citizens (16-17)." Therefore, because this "free" train of thought has directly affected the characters telling the stories, it can be fairly easily assumed that it directly influenced the content of the stories they told, and more specifically the topic of sex within the narrative. Often we see the characters of the narrative not only succumbing to the desires of the flesh, but also justifying there multiple sexual relations. Although it might be an exaggeration to claim that the stories are totally free of conviction towards freely gratifying sexual desire, it is not at least to say that they were to a very large extent. The theme of lustful attraction and ensuing sexual intercourse is played over and over throughout the book without second thought from the characters, except on occasion only for the purpose of figuring out how to manage it without word leaking out.
The Canterbury tales is influenced by the Decameron in that they are both a collection of stories told by different people of different status and sex. The Canterbury tales however are more interesting due to the fact that they are told by a diverse and broader variety of people each with a differen...
The most devastating event in Medieval European history was that of the Black Death, or plague. Over the course of several years, the highly contagious disease killed up to half of Europe's population. The disease was believed to come from Asia Minor, sailors brought the disease to Europe. Tiny flea...
One Italian writer who lost many of his own family members to the plague during 1349-1351 wrote in his book The Decameron, "Some say that the plague descended upon the human race through the influence of heavenly bodies others that it was a punishment signifying God's righteous anger at our iniquitous way of life." ... The plague was not prejudice to race, religion, sex or economic background. ...
The Black Death was a massive brutal epidemic that spread across Europe from 1346 to 1353, It killed over an estimated one-third of Europe's entire population. It is known as the worst natural disaster in European history. The Black death was a combination of bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic plagu...
Betwixen hem was maad anon the bonde that highte matrimoigne'- Chaucer, Knights Tale- Riverside Edition- Discuss how marriage is presented within Fragment A. This love halt togidres peples joined with a holy boond, and kyntteth sacrament of marryges of chaste loves: and love enditeth law...
