Page 66 - Petru Russo | The 100 Days of Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio
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The Gentlewoman and the Confessor
This novella tells the story of a young gentlewoman, driven by love, captivated by her charm, unwittingly becomes an accomplice in her
who cleverly outwits a gullible friar to fulfill her desires. Themes of scheme.
wit, passion, and irony are central to this tale.
Under the guise of helping her resist temptation, the friar provides
The gentlewoman, young, beautiful, and sharp-witted, falls deeply a safe setting for the gentlewoman to meet her beloved in secret.
in love with a handsome young man of noble family. Unfortunately, The lovers are finally united, spending a night together with the
he is betrothed to another, making their union seemingly friar none the wiser about their true intentions.
impossible. Determined to be with him, the gentlewoman devises a
daring plan. The tale concludes with a humorous twist as the friar, convinced of
his role as a moral savior, remains oblivious to the gentlewoman’s
She confides in her Franciscan confessor, claiming her desires for cunning manipulation. She achieves her goal with grace and
the young man torment her conscience. She manipulates the friar intelligence, while the friar’s gullibility becomes a source of
into believing she seeks spiritual guidance. The friar, naïve and amusement.
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