TheDecameronIn1348,aterribleplagueoccurredinFlorence,Italy(theplaguereferredtointhisbookwasaplagueinEuropeinthe1440sand50s.Thetermblackdeathwasderivedfromthis).Everyday,eveneveryhour,therearelargenumbersofbodiesthatareshippedoutsidethecity.FromMarchtoJuly,morethan100,000peoplediedfromillness.ThebeautifulandprosperouscityofFlorence,onceinthepast,becameacemeteryfullofbonesandwasfullofhorrors.ThisincidenthadaprofoundinfluenceonBoccaccio,agreatItalianwriteratthetime.Inordertorecordthehumandisaster,hetooktheplagueasthebackgroundandwrote"TheDecameron"forfiveyears.AccordingtoBoccaccio,thestoriesinTheDecameronarewell-founded.Theworkextolsthelifeofthepresent,praisesloveasthenoblesourceofwisdom,eulogizesthevalueoffreelove,affirmspeople’sintelligenceandsoon.Theworksalsorevealedthebrutalityofthefeudalmonarchs,thesinsoftheChristianChurch,thehypocrisyofthepriestsandsoon.BoccacciogrewupinFlorence.Hegrewupyearningfordemocracyandfreedomandexpressedhisdissatisfactionwiththedarkruleofthechurch.Aftergrowingup,heparticipatedinmanypoliticalactivitiesandopposedfeudalautocracy."TheDecameron"ishispowerfulweaponagainstfeudalismandanti-church.ThestoriesinTheDecameronarewidelysourced,andBoccaccioisbroadandcollectable,drawingmaterialfromhistoricalevents,medievallegends,andorientalfolktales(suchas"TheSevenPhilosophers"and"ArabianNights").ButBoccacciotransplantedtheplotsofthesestoriestoItaly,reformingandrecreatingitwithhumanisticideas.
