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Day 9: Fourth Tale
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Decameron, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love and Sex
Men and Women
Moderation and Excess
Intelligence
Class and Character
Faith vs. Religion
Summary
Analysis
Fiammetta returns to the consistently entertaining subject of Calandrino for her next tale. When Niccolò Cornacchini builds a mansion in the country, he commissions Bruno and Buffalmacco to paint its frescoes, and they recruit Nello and Calandrino to help. The only other people in the mansion are an old housekeeper and Niccolò’s son, Bachelor Filippo, who occasionally comes out to entertain a lady.
One of Bachelor Filippo’s companions is Niccolosa. Although she is a prostitute employed by a Florentine pimp, she is pretty, polite, and well-spoken. One day, Calandrino encounters her at the well. While she stares at his strange appearance, he mistakes attention for attraction. Staring intently back, he notices her beauty, and after she playfully heaves a few sighs, he falls hopelessly in love. When Calandrino tells Bruno, he claims that Niccolosa is Filippo’s wife and offers to act as a go-between for Calandrino. Calandrino wants the affair kept from Nello; as a relative of his wife (Tessa), he worries Nello would snitch.
This tale’s prank revolves around getting Calandrino to believe that Niccolosa loves him—and part of the humor comes from the fact that it’s very clear that she’s a prostitute. Although the tale describes her as generally classy, the idea that Calandrino thinks that a well-spoken prostitute is a fine lady underlines his ignorance and lack of social refinement. The scene in which Calandrino falls in love with her is a parody of fin’amors (refined loving) as it is portrayed in medieval romances: love invades Calandrino’s consciousness through his eyes as he looks on Niccolosa’s beauty; her sighs make him think that she loves him (since all lovers in romances sigh), and the moment he feels that the attraction is mutual, it is cemented in his mind and consummating it is his only goal.
Active
Themes
When Calandrino wanders off in search of Niccolosa, Bruno tells Buffalmacco and Nello about his crush and they plan a prank to play on him. Bruno explains the prank to Bachelor Filippo and Niccolosa, who participate so they can have a “merry time at Calandrino’s expense.” Thus, when Calandrino performs “a whole series of curious antics” to impress Niccolosa, she gives him “every encouragement.” When she and Filippo return to the city, Bruno suggests that Calandrino play her love-songs on his rebeck (a stringed instrument). Calandrino, believing her to be a nobleman’s wife, boasts about his magnetism, since she has fallen in love with him so quickly.
Active
Themes
To make a long story short, Calandrino neglects his work in favor of wooing Niccolosa, Niccolosa encourages him, and Bruno acts as go-between. Occasionally, Bruno and Buffalmacco claim that Niccolosa wants a small present, and in this way, they defraud him of things like daggers and combs. As the work draws to a close, Calandrino becomes desperate. In the final phase of the prank, Bruno offers to make a magic scroll with which Calandrino can control Niccolosa. Calandrino collects the necessary items, although the live bat gives him some difficulty.
Active
Themes
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Bruno, having made the scroll, tells Calandrino that if he touches Niccolosa with it, she will do whatever he wants. Bruno suggests Calandrino take her to the barn for privacy, where Bachelor Filippo and Buffalmacco are already hiding. Meanwhile, Nello entices Tessa to the estate with the chance to pay Calandrino back for beating her over the magic stones. Tessa rushes to confront her husband. Just before she arrives, Calandrino touches Niccolosa with the scroll, and she immediately follows him to the barn.
Active
Themes
In the barn, Niccolosa pushes Calandrino to the ground and then sits astride him, pinning his arms, while Bruno, Buffalmacco, and Bachelor Filippo watch from their secret spot. Just as Calandrino frees his arms and is about to kiss Niccolosa, Tessa forces her way into the barn and attacks her prostrate husband, clawing his face and screaming that someone else is busy “getting him with child this time.” Bruno and Buffalmacco, pretending to stumble on the scene, send Calandrino home with Tessa, who heaps a “torrent of strictures and abuse” on him.
Active
Themes
