Abstract
The paper relates that there are large differences as well as strong similarities between Boccaccio's "Decameron" and the "Heptameron" of Marguerite of Navarre. The paper notes that the works are separated by about two hundred years in time, and also by the difference between the French culture of Marguerite and the Italian culture of Boccaccio. Also, the paper relates that Boccaccio wrote in the time before the Protestant Reformation, and his work is clearly of a strong Catholic bent, despite his constant criticism and poking of fun at clerics and church bureaucrats.

From the Paper
"The are large differences as well as strong similarities between Boccaccio's "Decameron" and the "Heptameron" of Marguerite of Navarre. The works are separated by about two hundred years in time, and also by the difference between the French culture of Marguerite and the Italian culture of Boccaccio. Also, Boccaccio wrote in the time before the Protestant Reformation, and his work is clearly of a strong Catholic bent, despite his constant criticism and poking of fun at clerics and church bureaucrats. Marguerite, on the other hand, wrote during the time of the Reformation and put strong Protestant leanings in her work, which caused..."

Tags:boccaccio, heptameron, renaissance

Abstract
In this paper, Machiavelli's "The Prince" and Boccaccio's "Decameron" are compared and contrasted on several different levels. Both works are considered in terms of their historical contexts. Questions of leadership and social change are also analyzed in terms of the authors' works. The paper also compares Machiavelli's philosophy to that of Christine de Pizan. Finally, the author examines both works in terms of their gender roles.

Morality and Virtue in the Society: Social and Political Perspectives from Niccolo Machiavelli and Christine de Pizan
Machiavelli and De Pizan on Gender Role Differences

From the Paper
"De Pizan, on the other hand, offered a different way of looking into a political issue, especially if this issue involves an important sector in the society: women. In her discourse, "The Treasure of the City of Ladies," De Pizan contemplated how human society had developed the psyche and perception that females are inherently inferior to males. This issue was borne out of the author's observation how literary and scholarly works portray a common stereotype of women as subversive to men, depicted as uneducated and not able to create decisions for themselves. In the words of Pizan, "learned men" tend depict women through 'wicked insults" about their behavior. This drove her to investigate and know the origin of this perception and wrong portrayal of women in Western societies."

Tags:The Prince, Decameron, Italy, social, change, Enlightenment, Machiavelli, Boccaccio, De, Pizan

Abstract
This paper explains that "The Decameron" (Ten Days Work), written by Boccaccio from 1348 to 1353, illustrates the glory of the Renaissance movement and the destruction of the Black Death. The author points out that Boccaccio provides social criticism through anecdotes narrated by the characters in the novel about patriarchy, women's marginalization, and the dominance and abuses of the Church. The paper relates that Boccaccio looks at the psyche and feeling of women in the midst of a conservative patriarchal society and provides his readers with his "ideal" notion of a woman of his time by providing a characterization of women who are portrayed to not be ideal.

From the Paper
"The third group is a moderate mix of the first two groups, opting to live life to the fullest, "thinking it an excellent idea to fortify the brain" for the stench of the dead bodies" seemed to fill and pollute the whole of the atmosphere." Lastly, the last group of people in Boccacio's society fled from their homes and sought refuge in the countryside, believing that their city was cursed by God: " "large numbers of men and women abandoned their city" they imagined that the wrath of God" would only be aroused against those who found themselves within the city walls.""

Tags:black, renaissance, anecdotes, marginalization, abuse

Abstract
This paper discusses "The Decameron" by Boccaccio. The author focuses on the use of casual sex and jeopardized morals in Boccaccio's stories as a social commentary of the day. Special attention is paid to the parody Boccaccio makes of religion and its rituals and rules.

From the Paper
"As with many works of literature such as Catcher in the Rye, Grapes of Wrath, and The Odyssey, Giovanni Boccaccio's The Decameron is as controversial as the work is praised. Boccaccio's work is filled with characters with debatable moral compasses and uncontrollable sex drives in compromising situations which have undoubtedly offended masses while at the same time entertained them as well. Certainly those of faith who believe God rewards or punishes based on the actions of people would be horrified after reading Boccaccio's hundred tales, most of which feature no unfavorable repercussions of what the church's leaders would deem immoral. Two perfect examples of this lack of consequences for the debauched characters are stories of Masetto and Rustico from the third day. In these two stories from the third day, Boccaccio both notes the blatant hypocrisy of the holy men and women while allowing the characters to receive no punishment for impure acts because of his desire to poke fun at the church and society instead of inciting social change."

Tags:sexual, religion, rites, rules

Abstract
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."

Tags:Biblical, punishment, glory, mercy

Abstract
This paper shows that Giovanni Boccaccio wrote "The Decameron" for several reasons. The paper suggests that "The Decameron" was meant to be a way to educate women that did not attend school, a way for Boccaccio himself to deal with his own "lovesickness," and to offer solace to others that also feel lovesick. But perhaps the most significant reason for writing "The Decameron" was to comment on various aspects of society that he found to be flawed or unsound. To help demonstrate his point, the author of the paper uses the stories "Ser Cepperello," "Masetto di Lamporecchio," "Friar Cipolla," and "The Abbott and Ferondo" as examples.

From the Paper
"He did this in a somewhat inconspicuous way, by not actually writing a work of condemnation or disapproval. Instead, by joining together several stories of lust, greed, corruption, and infidelity, as told by ten youths during the plague, Boccaccio effectively criticizes several facets of society. The church and it's many faults is one of these facets that Boccaccio criticizes at length. "

Abstract
The paper compares the works of Dante Alighieri and Giovanni Boccaccio. The writer describes how they both derived much of their view of the world and its relation to the next world from their Catholic faith. The writer further examines how the two writers look at the world in different ways, though both are Italian, both Catholic, and both medieval in world view for the most part. The writer concludes that Boccaccio tends to be more humorous, more expansive, more varied, and more secular in his stories, while Dante is more spiritual and more focused on the darker aspects of the human spirit.

From the Paper
"This is one reason why Boccaccio is more often compared to Chaucer than to Dante. Of course, Chaucer derived a number of plots from stories in The Decameron and also used many of the same story forms, notably the fabliau derived from the French. The love triangle is the most common plot for both Chaucer and Boccaccio, with numerous variations, while Dante's unrequited love for Beatrice never involves a third party but only shows that distance is maintained between the man and the woman he loves from afar."

Tags:Chaucer, pagan

Abstract
This paper examines the author Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) who is one of the influential thinkers and a literary figure of the Middle Ages. The paper points out that his depiction of the medieval society is one of the best and most accurate among the other medieval writers. The author reveals that "Decameron", written around 1350 during an outbreak of the plague in Florence, is a fictional account of 10 young people who flee to a country manor and begin telling stories to keep themselves occupied and diverted from the tragedy.

From the Paper
"Boccaccio's "Decameron", though a fictional account contains real historical events and tells us the social structure, politics and conditions in the 14th century Europe. Thus, the stories contain within them a realistic outlook and realistic themes. The characters of the stories are common characters and belong to the lower classes. In addition, Boccaccio shows that the characters are the product of social factors and environment and this is the integral element in its dramatic complication. These common characters tell us the life and social conditions in Europe and particularly in Florence. The protagonist of
Day 2 is Martellino; he is a jester along with his friends Stecchi and Marchese. They use to go around the courts where they entertain the audience by making disguises. These jesters were common in the Middle Ages and provided people with, entertainment. It was a common belief in the Middle Ages that good-humored joking protected a person from misfortune. The jesters also were considered lucky and one of the reasons Boccaccio presents them in the story."

Tags:common, characters, society, plague, stories

Abstract
This paper examines the literary theory that Geoffrey Chaucer might have read "The Decameron" by Boccaccio before writing his "Canterbury Tales." It describes that the two stories are very different in their writting styles and the amount of detail given to its characters, but the works are similar in their opinions on God and the Christian Church. The second half of the paper argues against this theory.

From the Paper
"Before giving specific examples from the texts, there are some similarities and differences that need to be discussed. First, Bocaccio doesn't let the reader get to know the characters very well. The story he tells is mostly of other people telling stories about still different people. The stories that are actually about someone doing something are usually focused on the actions of the people in question, what they did, and what happened to them, and provide little background explanation of the characters themselves.

Chaucer, on the other hand, discusses in great detail his characters so that the reader can know all about them from how they look to what kind of people they really are. Their desires and thoughts are made public and the reader feels like he or she knows the people that Chaucer is talking about. Because of this, the story is easier to understand and the reasons behind the characters' actions become clearer, instead of having to sometimes guess, as is necessary with Bocaccio."

Tags:god, christian, church, italy, writting, style, character, action

Abstract
Discussion of Boccaccio's collection of short stories. His view, and the view of society of the Middle Ages, towards human nature. The book as an overview of life in the Middle Ages, including the Black Plague and how men and women structured their romantic and practical relationships. Storytellers as narrators.

From the Paper
"Boccaccio s The Decameron

Boccaccio s The Decameron consists of a collection of 100 novelle or short stories, each of which presents a realistic if pessimistic view of human nature as human nature was both understood and expressed in the Middle Ages. Created as a series of stories told sequentially on ten days, the book presents an excellent overview of the day-to-day routines of life in the Middle Ages, describes the Black Plague of 1348 in Florence, and also addresses the issue of how men and women structured their romantic and practical relationships.

Ten storytellers, including both males and females, are used as narrators by Boccaccio. The stories involve such disparate characters as monks and friars, Jews who convert to Christianity, lovers and enemies, exotic characters from the ..."