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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
Leí unos 15 cuentos (de 100), así que no puedo opinar mucho, pero para mi sorpresa me gustaron bastante. Quizás de a poco pueda ir leyéndolos todos...
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1775820.html
It is not all that long since I read The Canterbury Tales, which comes from the same century and draws from the same roots (the Reeve's Tale and the Franklin's Tale are indeed both in the Decameron in slightly different form). But I was struck by how much more enjoyable the Decameron is. For a start, it is actually complete - ten days of ten people telling a tale each, to give a hundred short stories and a framing narrative. It is also striking that the dullest of Boccaccio's stories (the ones from Day Six with the untranslatable punchlines) are still better than the worst of Chaucer (the Monk's Tale, the Parson's Tale, and for my money the interminable Knight's Tale). Boccaccio's geography is also generally better than Chaucer's, including even in Europe north of the Alps - one character ends up in Strangford, County Down; I'm not sure that Chaucer even mentions Ireland.
These are almost all great tales of incident, and I think anyone with an interest in the mechanics of storytelling would find useful material here. While almost all stories are set in fourteenth century Europe, with humour depending on an understanding of society's expectations of marriage and the Church, a lot of it I think is basic commentary on the human situation and could be easily transferred to other situations; or simply updated to the idiom of a new century, as Shakespeare did in All's Well That Ends Well. I am sure there are better translations out there than the 1982 Musa/Bondanella version for Penguin which I read, but even that gets a very strong recommendation from me.
It is not all that long since I read The Canterbury Tales, which comes from the same century and draws from the same roots (the Reeve's Tale and the Franklin's Tale are indeed both in the Decameron in slightly different form). But I was struck by how much more enjoyable the Decameron is. For a start, it is actually complete - ten days of ten people telling a tale each, to give a hundred short stories and a framing narrative. It is also striking that the dullest of Boccaccio's stories (the ones from Day Six with the untranslatable punchlines) are still better than the worst of Chaucer (the Monk's Tale, the Parson's Tale, and for my money the interminable Knight's Tale). Boccaccio's geography is also generally better than Chaucer's, including even in Europe north of the Alps - one character ends up in Strangford, County Down; I'm not sure that Chaucer even mentions Ireland.
These are almost all great tales of incident, and I think anyone with an interest in the mechanics of storytelling would find useful material here. While almost all stories are set in fourteenth century Europe, with humour depending on an understanding of society's expectations of marriage and the Church, a lot of it I think is basic commentary on the human situation and could be easily transferred to other situations; or simply updated to the idiom of a new century, as Shakespeare did in All's Well That Ends Well. I am sure there are better translations out there than the 1982 Musa/Bondanella version for Penguin which I read, but even that gets a very strong recommendation from me.
I read the majority of this book for a humor and wit in the Italian Renaissance class. This book is definitely witty and humorous; I found myself laughing at the remarks and well-timed quips of the characters! Some parts were uncomfortable to read, just because of the time period it was written, but that taken into account, the book is perfect for a few good laughs!
Poco da dire: è il Decameron, le quattro stelle sono politiche perché nonostante la lettura non mi sia dispiaciuta riconosco di non avere più tutti i mezzi per interpretare alcune cose... se non una lezione* di Alessandro Barbero sulla sessualità del Medioevo, in cui parla di una delle novelle che non appare mai (che strano eh?) nelle antologie scolastiche (*cercatela, è esilarante).
Le novelle su Chichibio e della Madonna e il Falcone sono stato un ritorno nostalgico ai tempi della scuola (sono le meno "incresciose" della raccolta, loro sì che sono adatte alle antologie!), ma anche quella dell'Usignolo mi ha fatto ridere, perché a noi era stata letta, non ricordo se ufficialmente o ufficiosamente, dalla professoressa per un qualche approfondimento, e alle superiori è stato uno di quei momenti in cui tutta la classe ha seguito con moltissima attenzione, ridacchiando come i finti ragazzini di mondo che credevamo di essere.
Non arrivo a cinque stelle perché ho fatto comunque un po' fatica ad arrivare alla fine, e alcune novelle sono troppo lontane dalla mia moderna mentalità per poter pensare in modo distaccato al fatto che uno pesti a sangue la moglie "ribelle" dietro consiglio di Re Salomone.
Letto per le sfide
1. Scaffali traboccanti 2021: (10/20)
2. Randomly 2021: (10/10! Primo ciclo completato!)
3. Alphabet 2021 per Un libro il cui titolo inizi per D
6. Extra-Large 2021: modalità difficile (2/9) - #582 pagine
Challenge
The World library
1001 libri da leggere prima di morire
Le novelle su Chichibio e della Madonna e il Falcone sono stato un ritorno nostalgico ai tempi della scuola (sono le meno "incresciose" della raccolta, loro sì che sono adatte alle antologie!), ma anche quella dell'Usignolo mi ha fatto ridere, perché a noi era stata letta, non ricordo se ufficialmente o ufficiosamente, dalla professoressa per un qualche approfondimento, e alle superiori è stato uno di quei momenti in cui tutta la classe ha seguito con moltissima attenzione, ridacchiando come i finti ragazzini di mondo che credevamo di essere.
Non arrivo a cinque stelle perché ho fatto comunque un po' fatica ad arrivare alla fine, e alcune novelle sono troppo lontane dalla mia moderna mentalità per poter pensare in modo distaccato al fatto che uno pesti a sangue la moglie "ribelle" dietro consiglio di Re Salomone.
Letto per le sfide
1. Scaffali traboccanti 2021: (10/20)
2. Randomly 2021: (10/10! Primo ciclo completato!)
3. Alphabet 2021 per Un libro il cui titolo inizi per D
6. Extra-Large 2021: modalità difficile (2/9) - #582 pagine
Challenge
The World library
1001 libri da leggere prima di morire
Is this a satire? Boccaccio you slippery bastard. I've decided to read this as feminist text despite the wacko misogyny and the random antisemitism. Nothing can stop me now mwahahahahahaha.
Who doesn't want to read about a group of attractive young people going on a vacation to the countryside in the middle of a pandemic to tell raunchy stories?
Who doesn't want to read about a group of attractive young people going on a vacation to the countryside in the middle of a pandemic to tell raunchy stories?
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
According to my history professor, this is one of the best sources surviving which details the Black Plague. Which is pretty amazing. It is also interesting to read for the historical context that can be gleaned from the stories. But the thing that really earned my respect? In the conclusion, the narrator is like “hey, you dont like some of the stuff in here? Great. Dont read it then” and I really cannot argue with that. Some of the stories HAVE NOT aged well, but Boccacio said “dont like dont read” so my criticisms become invalid.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced