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Day 9: Second Tale
Themes
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
Filostrato will tell the Calandrino story he almost used on Day 8. When Calandrino’s aunt dies, she leaves him a two-hundred-pound inheritance with which he plans to buy a farm—at least until he realizes how expensive they are. Bruno and Buffalmacco can’t convince him to spend it on partying, but they and their friend Nello think they can at least “stuff themselves” at his expense.
The connection between Filostrato’s tale and earlier stories is, obviously, through the characters of Calandrino, Bruno, Buffalmacco, and Simone da Villa, all of whom appear in previous tales (VIII, 3; VIII, 6; and VIII, 9). The issue of the inheritance—in addition to providing the narrative impetus for the trick Bruno and Buffalmacco play to either relieve Calandrino of his new money or to benefit from it—also raises the issue of class: trying (and failing) to buy a farm suggests a pretentious attempt to live like a country gentleman on Calandrino’s part.
Themes
The next morning, Nello, Buffalmacco, and Bruno place themselves in Calandrino’s path, and when they say good morning, they each comment on how ill Calandrino looks. Calandrino is “quite certain he [is] ill,” and ready to accept when Bruno recommends that he see a physician. Calandrino takes to his bed and sends a urine sample to Simone da Villa. Bruno offers to fetch the doctor himself—which allows him to explain the prank to Simone.
The friends’ prank on Calandrino takes advantage of his suggestibility. He lacks intelligence and has already shown himself ready and eager to believe what others say about him. Thus it’s not a surprise that his friends’ reactions quickly convince him that he is ill. Diagnosis by urinalysis was common enough in the Middle Ages that chamber pots were a frequent symbol of physicians on signage and in medieval paintings and book illustrations.
Themes
Simone da Villa arrives at Calandrino’s bedside, takes his pulse, and declares that he is pregnant. Howling with dismay, Calandrino complains it’s Tessa’s fault, since she likes to be on top during sex. She leaves, embarrassed by this public disclosure of private behavior, while he continues to complain about her “insatiable lust.” If he felt better, he would beat her for it. Nello, Buffalmacco, and Bruno can barely contain their laughter.
Themes
Simone da Villa tells Calandrino that the pregnancy can be cured, although the treatment is pricy. Terrified at the prospect of a painful childbirth, Calandrino offers every cent of his inheritance. Simone says he will need some succulent chickens and other ingredients that Bruno will buy with five pounds. Bruno instead buys the chickens and “various other essential delicacies” for the pranksters’ supper while Simone da Villa mixes up a placebo.
Themes
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Calandrino takes the medicine as directed, and after three days, Simone da Villa declares him restored. Calandrino tells everyone about his miraculously fast and painless miscarriage-inducing treatment; Bruno, Buffalmacco, and Nello congratulate themselves on getting around his avarice; and Tessa, not deceived by the whole affair, complains about it for a long time afterward.
Themes
