Boccaccio, Petrarch and Machiavelli

Paper Summary:

In this paper, the researcher examines the text of Giovanni Boccaccio's "The Decameron", Petrarch's "Letters to Posterity", and selected passages of Machiavelli's "The Prince", in an effort to show and explain social changes from the Middle Ages. Where needed, quotes from the actual works are used for clearer understanding. The writer concludes, based on the literature review, that with regard to social history and change, the general nature of the human race has remained virtually unchanged for millennia.

Outline:
Introduction
Boccaccio, The Decameron, and Social Change in the Middle Ages
Machiavelli's "The Prince" and Social Change
Conclusion
Works Cited

From the Paper:

"Rather, Machiavelli attributed glory to something that is earned, much like respect, rather than a commodity that can be sold or stolen, like gold, land, or even the human form. It would be a safe assumption that Machiavelli felt that glory could not come without empire, but he is clearly saying that empire does not always bring glory. Rather, the individual earns glory through deeds in action, not deeds for lands."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron. Trans. JM Rigg, Brown University Press, 1921.
• Foster, Kenell. Petrarch: Poet and Humanist. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1987.
• Machiavelli, Niccolo'. The Prince. Trans. Peter Bondanella and Mark Musa. Ed. Peter Bondanella. Oxford: Oxford University, 1998.

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