... not think it would be too far off the mark if someone said that Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron could be summed up in one word - sex. Sex is found in nearly every one of the seven hundred odd pages ... them are intertwined and always manipulating each other. Therefore, it is impossible to attribute specific perspectives on sex within Boccaccio's stories to one influence, and I can only make educated generalizations. In The Decameron, Boccaccio places us in a time when the plague was running rampant within the medieval realm. Consequently, the society was in ... of currents of thought wi...

• Word Count: 1609
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Romans, which were not only models of literary style, but considered to be guides to the understanding of life. The first, and most recognized pioneers of humanism were Petrarch and Giovanni Boccaccio. Petrarch became known for his poetry, which can be described along with many humanistic writings to be very realistic, critical, and more often than not satirical. Petrarch's style is close ... string of sonnets addressed to "Laura", who appears to be a real person rather than a religious symbol, as in most European writings. Giovanni Boccacio studied and wrote at about the same time as P...

• Word Count: 1908
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate