History of Ideas Discussion Group Cork

In the summer of 1348, as the Black Death ravages their city, ten young Florentines take refuge in the countryside. They amuse themselves by each telling a story a day for the ten days they are destined to remain there - a hundred stories of love, adventure and surprising twists of fate. Less preoccupied with abstract concepts of morality or religion than earthly values, the tales range from the bawdy Peronella hiding her lover in a tub to Ser Cepperallo, who, despite his unholy effrontery, becomes a Saint. The result is a towering monument of European literature and a masterpiece of imaginative narrative.

The complete work contains 100 tales. For the discussion, we’ll primarily focus on the Introduction to Day 1 and the following 10 tales:

• Day 1 Tale 1 Ser Cepperello
• Day 2 Tale 7 Daughter of the Sultan of Babylon
• Day 3 Tale 1 Masetto of Lamporecchio
• Day 4 Tale 1 Tancredi, Prince of Salerno
• Day 4 Tale 5 Guillaume de Roussillon
• Day 5 Tale 6 Ricciardo Manardi
• Day 5 Tale 9 Federigo degli Alberighi
• Day 6 Tale 4 Currado Gianfigliazzi’s cook, Chichibio
• Day 6 Tale 10 Friar Cipolla
• Day 10 Tale 10 The Marquis of Saluzzo

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