The Spouter-Inn

27. The Decameron.


Listen Later

“Let us therefore do as I suggest… We can move from place to place, spending

one day here and another there, pursuing whatever pleasures and entertainment
the present times will afford. In this way of life we shall continue until
such time as we discover (provided we are spared from early death) the end
decreed by heaven for these terrible events.”

It’s 1348, and plague has broken out in Florence. Ten affluent people decide

to escape the city for a bit, and over the course of two weeks they travel
from one villa to another, trying to have a nice time of it. Amongst the
singing, dancing, and feasting, every day includes a round of story-telling.
Ten storytellers, ten days of storytelling: The
Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio is a collection of
one hundred stories told by people trying to get their minds off the
disruption of disease.

Chris and Suzanne look at the frame tale and five of their favourite stories,

picking out some of the more interesting features of the book, enjoying how
funny or sexy or strange the stories can be, and considering the work stories
might do in a pandemic.

Show Notes.

Giovanni Boccaccio: The Decameron.

[Bookshop.
Gutenberg.]

We’re using the G.H. McWilliam translation, and we’re looking at these

stories:

  • 2.7 Alatiel marries the King of Algarve, eventually

  • 3.1 Masetto tends to the gardens of a nunnery

  • 3.10 Alibech sends the Devil back to Hell

  • 10.9 Messer Torello shows hospitality to Saladin

  • 10.10 Griselda suffers her husband, the Marquis of Saluzzo

    Kalila wa-Dimna.

    Decameron Web

    has lots of useful information, including some details about the Decameron
    manuscripts.

    The autograph manuscript of the Decameron (i.e., in Boccaccio’s

    own handwriting).

    A fully digitized Decameron manuscript from around

    1400.

    Some projects turning to the Decameron right now:

    The Decameron Project.

    The Modern Decameron Project.

    100 Days of Decameron.

    Next: Jane Austen, Emma.

    [Gutenberg.
    LibriVox.
    Bookshop.]

    Support The Spouter-Inn on Patreon if you

    can, and tell us what you’re reading!

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Spouter-InnBy Suzanne Conklin Akbari and Chris Piuma

    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8

    4.8

    30 ratings


    More shows like The Spouter-Inn

    View all
    The LRB Podcast by The London Review of Books

    The LRB Podcast

    311 Listeners

    Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective by ESPN, Omaha Productions, Brian Windhorst

    Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective

    3,936 Listeners

    It’s Just A Show by Chris Piuma and Charlotte Wells (and Adam Clarke and Beth Martin)

    It’s Just A Show

    48 Listeners

    Up First from NPR by NPR

    Up First from NPR

    56,997 Listeners

    You’re Not Funny by Adam Clarke and Chris Piuma

    You’re Not Funny

    1 Listeners

    And Thereby Hangs A Tale by Adam Clarke

    And Thereby Hangs A Tale

    1 Listeners

    Dear Reader by Michael Collins and Emily Gushue Whalen

    Dear Reader

    1 Listeners

    This Is Your Mixtape by Michael Collins

    This Is Your Mixtape

    10 Listeners

    By-The-Bywater: A Podcast about All Things J.R.R. Tolkien by Jared Pechaček, Oriana Scwindt, and Ned Raggett

    By-The-Bywater: A Podcast about All Things J.R.R. Tolkien

    32 Listeners

    The Opposite Of Lonely by Nadia Halim

    The Opposite Of Lonely

    0 Listeners

    A Part Of Our Scare-itage by Adam Clarke and Sarah Chamberlain

    A Part Of Our Scare-itage

    7 Listeners

    The Scene of the Scene by Megaphonic

    The Scene of the Scene

    0 Listeners

    Fiasco Family Movie Night by S Frost and Tim Lehnerer

    Fiasco Family Movie Night

    9 Listeners

    HubrisWeen! by S Frost and Tim Lehnerer

    HubrisWeen!

    0 Listeners

    The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is History

    15,525 Listeners

    Game Show 1939! by Chris Piuma and Michael Collins

    Game Show 1939!

    2 Listeners

    The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God by Justin Brierley

    The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God

    442 Listeners

    The Zach Lowe Show by The Ringer

    The Zach Lowe Show

    2,131 Listeners