The Black Death in medieval Europe

14th Century Western Civilization

Social Criticism on a Patriarchal and Christian Society in Giovanni Boccaccio's "The Decameron"

Western civilization during the 14th century is characteristically considered as the "rebirth" of Greek and Roman cultures, which have declined after its glorious classical and Golden Age revolution during the Middle Ages. This 'rebirth' is referred to as the Renaissance movement, which are the revival of classical cultures and the emergence of the humanist movement. Italy, in particular, had become the cradle of human development of the Renaissance period, which brought about individualism, humanism, religious revolution (or reform), and the Scientific Revolution. In the midst of these developments, Giovanni Boccaccio, famous Italian writer and humanist, depicts life during the Renaissance movement and the Black Death, where European nations, particularly Italy, was ravaged and reduced in population. The Black Death was the result of a deadly plague caused by infected rodents that came from the Middle East and traveled to the Europe through trade routes (aboard trade ships). The glory of the Renaissance movement and destruction of the Black Death is illustrated effectively in "The Decameron" (Ten Days' Work), written by Boccaccio from 1348 to 1353.

In "The Decameron," Boccaccio did not only narrated to his readers the two significant events in human history during the 14th century, but provides social criticism, through anecdotes narrated by the characters in the novel, issues about patriarchy and women marginalization and dominance and abuses of the Church in the society. Through each day or chapters in the novel, Boccaccio illustrates in concrete details and examples how this social stratification has prevailed in Italian society (and in general, European society) for many years. Furthermore, this paper discusses how Boccaccio uses "The Decameron" as a medium through which the author implies that the Renaissance and Black Death are events that signify protest against the inequalities prevalent in Italian society prior and during these events. In the Introduction of "The Decameron," Boccaccio sets the social climate of Italy during the Renaissance and Black Death period. He states that Italian society in 1348 is in a state where "... The noble city of Florence, which for its great beauty excels... was visited by the deadly pestilence... In the face of its onrush, all the wisdom and ingenuity of man were unavailing." Boccaccio pertains to the age of rebirth in his society; however, he also shows how society coped up with the sufferings that the Black Plague had brought to the people. The author does not provide a historical account of the two significant events, but instead looks at the 'human side' of the Renaissance and Black Death, where Boccaccio informs the readers about the society's reaction to the plague that ravaged their country.

The first group consists of those people that believe that the Black Plague "was a punishment signifying God's righteous anger at our iniquitous way of life." Responding to this belief, this group of people adopted a "sober and abstemious mode of living," which they believed to be an effective way to lessen the impact of the plague in their lives.

Thus, they isolated themselves from their community and sought refuge in the comfort of their homes. The second group, on the other hand, is the anti-thesis of the first group. Instead of taking precautions to lessen the impact of the plague, this group had "maintained an infallible way of warding off this appalling evil was to... enjoy life to the full... And shrug the whole thing off as one enormous joke."

The third group is a moderate mix of the first two groups, opting to live life to the fullest, "thinking it an excellent idea to fortify the brain...for the stench of the dead bodies... seemed to fill and pollute the whole of the atmosphere." Lastly, the last group of people in Boccacio's society fled from their homes and sought refuge in the countryside, believing that their city was cursed by God: "... large numbers of men and women abandoned their city... they imagined that the wrath of God... would only be aroused against those who found themselves within the city walls."

Clearly, Boccaccio tries to mirror to his readers the state of Italian society during the 14th century, which reflecting the different psyches or beliefs that people subsist to in life. Three differences can be seen in the characteristics of each group that Boccaccio enumerated in "The Decameron." These groups can be categorized as the conservative, liberal, and moderate groups, where the conservatives are strong believers of the Christian doctrine and belief, liberals as free-believers, not subsisting to Church doctrines as their way of living. The moderates are those people who neither believes in both ideologies (Christian religiosity and liberalism), but lives their life based on practicality and logical reason (that life should be lived fully through moderate means). Despite these differences and study of human diversity in his society, Boccaccio sums up the chaotic state of Italy that affects all people, creating a breakdown of the glory and order that both Christianity and the Renaissance had contributed to Western civilization: "In the face of so much affliction and misery, respect for the laws of God and the man had virtually broken down and been extinguished..." The instability of Italian society depicted in Boccaccio's novel is not only a result of the Black Death; as the novel progresses Boccaccio implies that humanity's hypocrisy and abuse of society are the main causes of humanity's downfall (through the Black Death). In particular, those who are staunch Christian believers and supporters of the conservative status quo in the society are the main 'culprits' that brought about the breakdown of the society a long time ago, long before the Black Death invaded the Italian society.

A case in point is the First Day, First Story of the novel, uses the character of Chappelet du Prat as an example of an individual who reflects the hypocrisy of the Church, where it fails to live up to its own decrees and rules on morality and true sense of being a believer of Christ and the Church. This is depicted through two interesting character descriptions by Boccaccio provide of the nature of Chappelet as the protagonist and representative of the Church's character of 'hypocrisy': (1) "He was a great glutton and a drunkarde, even he was not able to take any more: being also a continuall gamester, and carrier of false Dice, to cheate with them the very best Friends he had," and (2) "Master Chappelet was a very holy man, as appeared by all the parts of his confession, and made no doubt, but that many miracles would be wrought by his sanctified body, perswading them to fetch it thither with all devoute solemnity and reverence..."