Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron

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Giovanni Boccaccio's the Decameron, written in the Early Renaissance, is a sharp social commentary that reflected the ideas and themes of the Renaissance and of Renaissance Humanism. His tales of nuns and priests caught in compromising situations, corrupt clergy selling chances to see religious artifacts, and of wives cheating on their husbands show the changing ideals of the time and the corruption that was running rampant within the church and in the lives of the general populace. The Decameron speaks against this corruption and reflects the secular attitude of living as happily as possible, demoting the principals of Christian morality that had ruled daily life in the time before the Renaissance. Another concept that sprung from the Renaissance was capitalism, an aspect that Boccaccio explores. The capitalism of the Renaissance, corruption of the Church clergy and the ideas of humanism are reflected in the Decameron.

Boccaccios Decameron reflects Renaissance capitalism and the new attitude of people towards sin and making money. Prior to the Renaissance, it was considered a sin to charge interest on borrowed money. There were very few Christian bankers in the early Middle Ages, and it was not until the late Middle Ages and the Early Renaissance that it became acceptable to start charging interest. As a result, capitalism was able to reach new height in the Renaissance. Despite the changing attitude of those seeking to get rich, usury was still considered a sin. The attitude of the people towards sin began to change, and the Renaissance was characterized by these changing morals. Sin became more acceptable when the benefit of sinning was becoming rich. Capitalism led to materialism, which corrupted the clergy as well as the laity. In the Middle Ages, social classes were very structured, and there was little room for social movement. Yet in the Renaissance, it was not uncommon for people to gain social status, because they could make money. There was a class of popolo grosso, or new rich. Capitalism allowed people who had very little to gain material wealth. The woman in the 10th day 10th story, a peasant is able to move up in social status, by marrying a richer man. It was very possible that this could happen during that time. This social mobility also brought with it a sense of greed and materialism, even within the clergy. In the 6th day, 10th sto...

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..., it is filled with sordid details of nuns who sleep around and other vulgar tales. It is written to be art, but not art to glorify God as most art had previously been intended. The Decameron reflects Humanistic thinking about the elevation of man, which had an influence upon morality in the Renaissance.

The Renaissance was a period when society, attitudes and ideas were changing. Capitalism allowed for social mobility, yet it also served to change peoples opinions on morality. People now saw things that were once thought immoral to be acceptable, when the gain was great. Capitalism paved the way for greed and desire for material wealth. Immorality also existed in the clergy of the church. Corruption in Popes and priests set an example for all other Christians, and would eventually set the stage for the coming of Protestantism. Through Humanistic thinking, man and his art were elevated. Boccaccios The Decameron is a work in which the capitalism, corruption of the clergy and humanistic thinking are reflected. Each story of the book reflects the overall changing society of the Renaissance.

Works Cited

Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron. New York: Penguin Group, 1982.

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