Can Grande appears in Filostrato’s first tale (I, 7). He is based on a historical figure who ruled Verona during Giovanni Boccaccio’s lifetime and who was renowned for his military successes and his generosity. Yet, in The Decameron, he initially refuses to give his invited guests the customary gifts. When, after Bergamino’s parable about Primas and the Abbot of Cluny, he resumes his customary generosity, he represents medieval ideas about the obligation of the wealthy aristocracy to be courteous and generous.
Get the entire The Decameron LitChart as a printable PDF.
Can Grande della Scalla Character Timeline in The Decameron
The timeline below shows where the character Can Grande della Scalla appears in The Decameron. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Day 1: Seventh Tale
Can Grande della Scala is one of the best princes Italy has seen in modern times. He...
(full context)
When Bergamino is down to his last robe, he tells Can Grande the story of witty Parisian priest Primas, who decided to visit the famously generous Abbot...
(full context)
