THE DECAMERON

By Giovanni Boccaccio

Prepared by:
Nathalie & Nazarene Perez
The Decameron
• The Decameron was written by Giovanni Boccaccio.
• The title comes from the two Greek words “dèka” (meaning
“ten”) and “hēmèra” (meaning “day”).
• It compromises of 100 novellas told by 7 women and 3 men
over a ten-day journey away from plague-infested Florence.
• The Decameron is an example of a Frame Story.

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• Around 80% of Europe was hit by the plague and Giovanni used the
setting in creating a band of youthful men and women who shared
different stories to forget the horrors of the plague even for a while.
• It is said to be a portrayal of everyday life, including wit, and
mockery following a framed structure.
• “Federigo’s Falcon” was told on the 5th day of journey. The theme of
the day was stories with happy endings. It was the 9th story told that
day.

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Federigo’s Falcon
From The Decameron
Translated by G. H. McWilliam
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AUTHOR

Giovanni Boccaccio is an Italian poet,

Renaissance Humanist, one of Italy’s
foremost writers. Raised in Florence,
Boccaccio later studied business but
soon transferred his ambition from
banking to literature. Most of
Boccaccio’s works explore the theme
of love.

Giovanni Boccaccio
(1313-1375)
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CHARACTERS

Federigo degli Alberighi

• main character
• son of Messer Filippo Alberighi
• fell in love with Monna Giovanna

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CHARACTERS

Monna Giovanna
• noble lady
• the love interest of Federigo
• widowed

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CHARACTERS

Monna Giovanna’s son

• died because of an illness

Falcon

• Federigo’s pet

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SETTING

Tuscany, Italy
• Florence
• Federigo’s farm

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Federigo is a young man who falls in love with a
beautiful married woman, Monna Giovanna.
Federigo spends lots of money to win her love,
but this does not make her love him. Eventually,
he has nothing left but a small farm and one
falcon that is the best of its kind around the
world.

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 Time passes, Monna’s husband dies. Every
summer, she went away with her son to a country
estate of theirs, which was very near to Federigo’s
farm. There, her young son became friends with
Federigo and became fascinated with his falcon.
When the boy became seriously ill, he tells his
mom the bird may help him get better.

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Monna Giovanna went to Federigo’s house. She tells him
that she wants to make up for her past coldness towards
him by having a breakfast with him. Because he has
nothing nice enough to serve her, Federigo roasts the
falcon and serves it.
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“Could you sacrifice your
most valuable possession
for the person whom you
deeply love?”

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Not knowing that she had eaten it, Monna then
tells Federigo that she needs his falcon to make
her son well. Federigo cries and explains what
happened. Monna goes home and a few days
later, her son dies.

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After a period of mourning, Monna Giovanna was
repeatedly urged by her brothers to remarry. She
remembers how Federigo honored her and
decides she will never marry any other man
except Federigo degli Alberighi.

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“But I would sooner have
a gentleman without
riches than riches without
a gentleman.”

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Seeing that her mind was made up, her brothers
fell in with her wishes. Monna and Federigo was
married. Federigo managed his affairs more
prudently, and lived with her in happiness to the
end of his days.

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“All things come round to
him who will but wait.” 18