INT 186SA - Plague, Sex, and Violence: Boccaccio's Decameron
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.
Brad Bouley
4.8