Historical and Cultural Background

 

(Lives of the Courtesans Portraits of the Renaissance)

The Plague: "The Decameron," is written in the thirteenth century amid the background of a devastating plague labeled the Black Death. Boccaccio explicitly defines the transformation of his society in response to this horrific pestilence. Apparently, the maxims by which his peers guided their lives were disregarded when faced with the possibility of contracting this incurable illness. Society, as a whole, began to shun their neighbors and, more unfortunately, their own family members as a means of avoiding contamination. As Boccaccio states:
 

To have compassion for those who suffer is a human quality that everyone should possess, especially those who have required comfort themselves in the past and have managed to find it in others. (Boccaccio 1)
 
 Though written for more personal reasons, Boccaccio's statement explicitly alludes to the lack of compassion and innate fear of the plague. Some viewed the plague as a divine punishment and fought back with prayer. Others lived each day as if it were their last and indulged in the heretofore-prohibited pleasures in life.  This indulgence in forbidden pleasures is germane to the
Third Day, First Story because the nuns are curious about sex and do not hesitate to seduce the clever Masetto.  Since both the plague and the inevitable death of many people are very important background to The Decameron, the nuns and Masetto probably want to enjoy whatever time they have left on earth and indulge in sexual pleasure.
 
The plague brought about other changes in society as well. Increased inflation was prevalent as the price of goods and food skyrocketed. Wages reached exorbitant heights as workers became scarce, particularly those employees who would tend to the ill. Manor life was threatened by the labor shortage as "serfs were no longer tied to one master" (http://www.brown.edu/Departments/I…ague/effects/soc_econ_effects.html). This ultimately led to an increase in upward social mobility among the peasants who eventually "revolted when the aristocracy attempted to resist the changes brought about by the plague" (http://www.brown.edu/Departments/I…ague/effects/soc_econ_effects.html).
 
(Great Ages of Man Renaissance)
Religion: In addition to the plague, "The Decameron" is written at a time when religion played a critical role in the daily affairs of the populace. The effects of the church are most evident with respect to the sexual relationships between men and women. For example, the church enforced the doctrine that the sole purpose of sexual relations was to procreate therefore a husband and wife should not engage in the act for the mere pleasure of it. The church issued opinions and dictates on a myriad of subjects, not limited to prostitution, fornication, masturbation, incest, rape, adultery, oral sex, sodomy, homosexuality, foreplay, when and how married couples are allowed to have sex, sexual positions, Jews, Arabs, etc. It is known that older persons, women, homosexuals and adulterers were punished more severely by the courts than those who perpetrated violent acts upon women, such as rape. Thus, there seems to be little, if any, separation between government and religion during this era. According to the historical facts on the Decameron Website:
Christianity in the 13th century comprised an essential point of reference for the experiences, which took place in all levels of society. It represented life and hope (cf. II.2), stimulated radical and absolute choices, new conglomerations, new social relationships, new conflicts; it generated new forms of imagery, new philosophical and doctrinal works, new legends, new writings, new institutions and organizations. (http://www.brown.edu/Departments/I…b/religion/culture/background.html).
 Since great emphasis was placed on the sanctity of religion and, therefore, it pervaded many aspects of renaissance life, harsh penalties were imposed on those who did not abide by the dictates of the church.  The retaliation of the church and its followers is a strong incentive for the Abbess to strike a deal for the code of silence with Masetto and the other nuns about their extracurricular activities.

Politics, Economics and Education: In the 12th century, Italy was comprised of numerous autonomous states whose political and juridical structures varied widely. Within those structures existed the continuous struggle between the haves and have nots (the nobility and the peasants, respectively). The emerging classes comprised mostly of merchants and artisans, fought to eliminate the historical privileges afforded the nobility by virtue of their birthrights. With the status quo challenged, there followed an inherent increase in political, religious and social conflicts. (http://www.brown.edu/Departments/I…b/religion/culture/background.html). Medieval Society best described the feelings of the era by claiming the following, "the rising merchant class threatened the very essence of the established aristocracy. The source of their power did not grow from their control of land, but through banking and commerce." Since Italy, at this time, had developed into a Mecca for trade, the merchants became prosperous, independent and powerful. In response to these changes, there was an increase in literacy and education, which were no longer available to the privileged alone.    Although Masetto was neither a merchant nor a land owner, he managed to graduate from the ranks of peasant farmhand to a wealthy, old man.

 The societal issues, as they relate to Day Three, Story One, emphasize the sexual repression of the population. The seclusion of the nuns, most of whom enter the order by virtue of their poverty, emphasizes the effort of the church to mitigate temptation and the general tendency to succumb to human weaknesses. The strong influence of the church and its views on sex and sin are important undertones in this story.

 

 

Works Cited

 "Religion in the 13th and 14th Centuries." Ferroni, Giulio. Storia della letteratura italiana vol. I "Dalle origini al
   Quattrocento." Turin: Einaudi, 1991. http://www.brown.edu/Departments/I…b/religion/culture/background.html. 6/14/99
    2:01 pm.

"Social and Economic Effects of the Plague," (ed: D.S.) Courie, Leonard W. The Black Death and Peasant’s Revolt. New
    York: Wayland Publishers, 1972. http://www.brown.edu/Departments/I…ague/effects/soc_econ_effects.html. 6/14/99
     2:01 pm.

"Societal Structure." Brucker, Gene, Florentine Politics and Society, Princton: Princeton University Press, 1962.
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/I…b/med_soc/structure/structure.html. 6/14/99 2:01 pm.

"13th Century." Ferroni, Giulio. Storia della letteratura italiana vol. I "Dalle origini al Quattrocento." Turin: Einaudi, 1991. http://www.brown.edu/Departments/I…n_Studies/dweb/history/hist_1.html. 6/14/99 2:01 pm.