The Decameron

The Decameron is a prose masterpiece written in Italian by Boccaccio between 1348-1351 when the black plague was rampant all over Europe, dissenting from the literary norms of the time it was penned in. It consists of stories within stories.

Both during the time it was written and later on, The Decameron was best known for its daring references to sexuality; however, in many of the stories, the author deals with the moral degeneration of the church he witnessed during the era he lived in, in an uncensored manner. Those who criticized Boccaccio’s work as immoral had actually been part of the lifestyle they were criticizing.

It is a pioneering work recounting relationships and events no one else dared to write about. Equally daring and dissident, Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini adapted the work to the cinema. Although Pasolini’s Il Decameron is one of the most important films of cinematic history, this does not come as a surprise to the readers of the work itself. All the events, settings, shapes, colours and even smells are depicted in detail. Thanks to the details, it is an enjoyable read. Since architects have a profession that requires particular attention to detail, it is a work they definitely should read.

Hopefully, this will contribute to the way architects realize their emotional and intellectual ideals and their ability to share their designs without any conflict of interest regarding societies, cities, and nature.

Keywords: Boccaccio, Black plague, Farm houses, Florence, Literature, Medieval settings, Medieval villages, Medieval philosophy, Naples, Noble families, Petrarca, Renaissance, Rules of hygiene, Secular city culture, Santa Maria Novella Church, The Decameron, The storytellers, Toilets, Urban class.