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Summary: The Black Plague's literary legacy
Review: The grim, solemn portrayals of humanity in most medieval art would lead us to think of the Middle Ages as a harsh, heartless time of disease, ignorance, oppressive piety, and puritannical drudgery, but "The Decameron" shows that people back then did indeed have a sense of humor, and they needed it more than ever during the Black Plague of the mid-14th Century. Boccaccio's intention is to present a lively diversion to the reading public of the time, and he makes no apologies to those who would be easily offended by silliness, sexual innuendo, or unflattering portrayals of hypocritical, licentious clergymen.The book's background is an eerie reflection of the time in which it was written. Seven young ladies and three young men from Florence, Italy, depressed and frightened about the plague that is currently sweeping throughout the lands and taking large chunks out of the population, decide to escape to the countryside, camp out in vacant castles, and tell each other stories to distract themselves from the horrors of the plague and bide their time until it passes. Each of them tells a story per day for ten days -- one hundred stories total -- and each day has an established theme which the stories told that day must follow. The stories are simple fables about love, adultery, deception, generosity, and fortune, in which stupid or gullible people are fooled, selfish people are cheated, arrogant people get their comeuppance, and smart, honest, or virtuous people are rewarded. Running the gamut from farcically ridiculous to decadently ribald to melodramatically sad, they are apparently the kinds of stories people back then probably would have found entertaining. Because of the unifying daily themes, the stories on any given day can start to seem homogeneous after a while, so it would not be unreasonable to skip some. Don't take that comment as a slight against Boccaccio's accomplishment, though. If we must look to the ages for wisdom, we should be pleased and grateful to find this 700-year-old pre-Renaissance book, which serves as a reminder that humor is, and always has been, an effective drug to numb the pain from even the worst tragedies and catastrophes.
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Summary: Perfect for Avid Readers
Review: This book is simply put, spectacular. For people who love to read and are literature fanatics, this edition is perfect. This edition is kept in a highly eloquent style with extensive explanatory footnotes. Boccaccio's humor carries through time beautifully. Even now, his sarcasm and dry (often biting) humor is not lost. I also found it humorous to see that people have changed very little over the centuries. It is a bit daunting upon first receiving it, but realize that it is a collection of short stories and thus can be put down for a "break" and easily picked back up again. I highly recommend this for people who strive to enhance their "repertoire" of classic literature. Boccaccio was a genius.
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Summary: The Edition to Get
Review: This edition of the Decameron is accurate, uncensored and filled with fascinating footnotes. After having read The Canterbury Tales, I was looking for its companion piece and this is the definitive edition. This gives a real feel for medieval life and is humorous, bawdy and an entertaining read as well.
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