Decameron facts for kids
The Decameron is a famous collection of 100 short stories. It was written by the Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio around the year 1350. In the book, ten young friends – seven young women and three young men – decide to leave the city of Florence. They leave because of a terrible sickness called the plague. They go to a large house in the quiet countryside.
Each day, these friends entertain each other. They take turns telling stories. The stories are all different kinds. Some are about love, some are funny comedies, and some are sad tragedies. Many other writers have used these stories for their own ideas. Also, many beautiful paintings have been made that show scenes from the stories.
Contents
What is The Decameron?
The Decameron is a very important book from the Middle Ages. It shows us what life was like and what people thought about during that time. The word "Decameron" comes from two Greek words. It means "ten days." This is because the stories are told over ten days by the group of friends.
The Storytellers and Their Escape
The story starts in Florence in 1348. The city is suffering from the Black Death, a terrible plague. To escape the sickness, seven young women and three young men decide to leave. They go to a beautiful country estate, a large house with gardens. There, they agree to live together for two weeks. They decide to spend their time telling stories. Each day, one person is chosen as the "king" or "queen." This person decides the theme for the day's stories.
Different Kinds of Stories
The 100 stories in The Decameron are very varied. They cover many different topics and feelings.
- Some stories are about clever tricks and jokes.
- Others are about love, both happy and sad.
- There are also stories about people being brave or foolish.
- Some stories teach a lesson.
- Many stories show how people lived and thought in Italy during the 1300s.
The Decameron's Lasting Influence
The Decameron has been very important in literature and art.
- Many famous writers have been inspired by Boccaccio's stories. These include Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote The Canterbury Tales.
- Artists have created many paintings and drawings based on scenes from the book. These artworks help us imagine the stories even better.
- The book also helped shape the Italian language. It showed how beautiful and expressive Italian could be for writing stories.
Images for kids
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A miniature painting by Taddeo Crivelli from a Decameron manuscript around 1467.
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The Banquet in the Pine Forest (1482/3) by Sandro Botticelli. This painting shows a scene from one of the Decameron stories.
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A title page from a 1620 edition of the Decameron, printed by Isaac Jaggard.
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See also
In Spanish: Decamerón para niños
