An in-depth examination of Giovanni Boccaccio's The Decameron. Written in the 1350s AD, in the wake of the Black Plague, Boccaccio's work provides a nuanced account of one of the worst demographic catastrophes in human history. In addition, his work also consists of over 100 stories told over ten days while upper class Florentines were hiding from the contagion. These tales are at turns funny, depressing, heartwarming and full of sex, violence as well as piety and faith. Taken together, the stories of The Decameron present an unparalleled window into the European Middle Ages. Students read two stories a week and engage in discussion of the themes present in the larger work.

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing.

1

Units

Pass no pass

Grading

1, 2, 3

Passtime

Upper division only

Level Limit

Letters and science

College
BOULEY B A
Brad Bouley
4.8
66 reviews
See All
66
4.8
HIST9 . Bouley B A 4 Months Ago

Super fun class with a very entertaining professor! It's HIST 9, so heavy reading because its research methods class but he somehow found a way to make talking about Machiavelli interesting. Gives very good feedback and is super nice. Would def take again!

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106B . Bouley B A 5 Months Ago

I've taken three courses with Bouley, prepping for a fourth. Best professor on campus, bar none. He's passionate and understanding, takes time to know his students, and his grading rubric is super clear. Even if history's an absolute bore for you, you will love his courses. He makes everything interesting

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HISTW4B . Bouley B A 7 Months Ago

I took this class over the summer as a GE but the content was interesting and the way he explains makes you as excited and passionate as he is. There were a lot of long lectures to watch and it was very important to take detailed notes because he gave mini quizzes (you got two chances) and the questions were kinda specific. The GOAT.

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HIST121A . Bouley B A 10 Months Ago

Even though this lecture was asynch and we just watched pre-recorded video, but Bouley is such a great lecturer and his videos are very engaging! We had weekly quizzies and two papers and a final paper. The grading is not very clear so going to your TA's office hour and Bouley's office hour really helps!

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106A . Bouley B A 10 Months Ago

Bouley is incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about history and makes the class fun to be in. Class was 100 students and he still made the effort to learn names and talk to students during discussions. He is excited to tell you about cool things and wants you to think they're cool too!

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106A . Bouley B A 10 Months Ago

It's simple: 1. I see a class Prof. Bouley teaches.
 2. I take that class.
 Its like talking to your dad about history. Every lecture is story time, he pauses for questions, keeps it engaging, and even though it's a lot of info, the structure and expectations are clear. If you focus and attend lecture, you can pass with near an A.

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