Decameron: Lesson Plans [VII/3]
Things Mr. Smith was hoping to discuss with his 9th grade students about their assigned reading: Day VII, Tale 3
“What can this tale tell us about the nature of the Godsibling, or Gossip, relationship in Renaissance Italy?”
“Can anyone tell from context clues what the Paternoster is?”
“The theme of Day VII is wives playing tricks on their husbands. How does this tale, in context of the other tales on Day VII expand our knowledge of the role of women, and the potential empowerment of women in Renaissance Italy?”
“What can we tell about how Boccaccio views the clergy from this Tale and from the tales on Day I?”
Things Mr. Smith’s students were hoping to discuss with him about Day VII, Tale 3
“So, like, did renaissance people just cheat on each other all the time? It seems like every third tale is about adultery.”
“Also, the priests in this story just seem like they’re constantly fucking. What’s up with that?”
“When the narrator says ‘strut along, not like doves, but like very turkey-cocks, with crest erect and breast puffed out’, are you sure that isn’t a sex thing?”
“I heard Stacey has some heartworms that need curing. Can I come over to your house after school? I know how we can make this better.”
“Don’t only dogs get heartworms?”
“Is anyone else concerned about that this is a story, taught by a male teacher, written by a man, told in the frame story by a man, from the point of view of a lecherous friar, that describes the woman as ‘[needing] little persuasion’ and a ‘simpleton’? I mean, surely the phrase ‘resigned herself to his pleasure’ was a red flag for someone else but me? And Mr. Smith wants to talk about empowering women? Come on”
“Are you sure they didn’t mean brainworms, like that lady with the coffee who gets interviewed by InfoWars and said ‘y’all have brainworms’? I really don’t think humans can get heartworms.”
“Is cuckold where we get the word cuck from?”
“No, obviously I know sometimes humans can catch diseases from dogs, but I really don’t think this is right. I think Boccaccio probably meant brainworms like that viral video.”
Decameron is a newsletter recounting the 14th Century set of quarantine tales for 2020. Read the original story.
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