Essay

Boccaccio’s representation of Jewish characters and communities in The Decameron: Explore the role of religious stereotypes and prejudices. How do these portrayals align with or challenge common medieval perceptions of Jewish people?

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Module
Italian 1 (ELCI08001)

Institution
The University Of Edinburgh (ED)

Discuss Boccaccio’s representation of Jewish characters and communities in The Decameron (themes, characterisations, and social dynamics), focussing on ‘The conversion of Abraham’ (Day 1, II) and ‘The three rings’ (Day 1, III). Explore the role of religious stereotypes and prejudices. How...

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Uploaded on July 2, 2024
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Written in 2023/2024
Type Essay
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Student number: S2291535
Word count: 864

Discuss Boccaccio’s representation of Jewish characters and communities in The
Decameron (themes, characterisations, and social dynamics), focussing on ‘The
conversion of Abraham’ (Day 1, II) and ‘The three rings’ (Day 1, III). Explore the role
of religious stereotypes and prejudices. How do these portrayals align with or challenge
common medieval perceptions of Jewish people?

In ‘The Decameron’, Boccaccio ventures into the nuanced portrayal of Jewish characters and

communities, diverging from the prevailing medieval literary landscape. Focusing on "The

Conversion of Abraham" and "The Three Rings”, I will argue that whilst religious

stereotypes persist within the narrative, a closer examination reveals a relatively favourable

treatment of figures like Abraham and Melchizedek.

Boccaccio dismantles entrenched medieval stereotypes that unfairly depict Jewish individuals

as inherently aggressive, violent, and aligned with the Anti-Christ. Through meticulous

characterisations and his descriptions, he dismantles preconceived notions and presents a

more nuanced and humanising perspective of Jewish figures in his narrative. In "The

Conversion of Abraham," Boccaccio weaves a compelling narrative around a Jewish man

named Abraham, caught in the delicate web of persuasion orchestrated by his friend

Giannotto, who endeavours to lead him towards Christianity. Neifile, the narrator, employs a

clever literary technique - chiasmus1 - to introduce Abraham and Giannotto simultaneously.

Mirroring their qualities in a symmetrical pattern, Neifile portrays both men as paragons of

virtue - good in behaviour, wise, and faithful. This artful alignment not only underscores their

shared attributes but also serves to elevate the importance of Abraham, engendering a sense

of empathy from the audience toward the Jewish character. Elevating both Jewish and

Christian characters to the same level of importance in the narrative serves as a direct

1
Salgarolo , D. (1989). p.40-42

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Boccaccio’s representation of Jewish characters and communities in The Decameron: Explore the role of religious stereotypes and prejudices. How do these portrayals align with or challenge common medieval perceptions of Jewish people?

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