Page 110 - SUMMARIES OF GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO’S DECAMEON : A Visionary Journey In 100 Stories And 100 Etchings By Petru Russu

Gostanza and Martuccio Gomito

This novella, set on the shores and seas near Sicily and North Africa, recounts a deeply
moving story of unwavering love, resilience, and destiny.

Gostanza, a young woman of noble lineage from Lipari, finds herself enthralled by the
gallant but impoverished Martuccio Gomito. Their love blossoms, but when Martuccio
boldly seeks her hand, her father rejects him solely because of his humble financial
standing. Stung by this denial, Martuccio vows to leave Lipari and not return until
he has earned wealth and honor worthy of Gostanza. He sets out to sea, eventually

turning to a life of bold piracy off the Barbary coast.

Martuccio’s fortune rises quickly, perhaps too quickly, and his ambition leads him

into danger. Captured during a fierce naval skirmish, he is taken prisoner and brought
to Tunis, where he languishes in captivity. The island of Lipari receives word of his
supposed death, and Gostanza, overcome by grief, quietly resolves to end her life. She
boards a small fishing boat by night and lets it drift into the sea, surrendering herself
to the winds and waves, believing she is sailing toward her own end.

Yet fate intervenes. The boat, carried gently by the northern wind, arrives safely at
Susa in Barbary. A humble local woman discovers the heartbroken Gostanza and

offers her shelter. Gostanza soon learns that Martuccio is not only alive, but has
ascended to honor as a trusted advisor in the court of the King of Tunis, his cleverness
and eloquence having earned him great esteem.

In a tender and emotional reunion, Gostanza makes herself known to Martuccio,
IN THIS SWIRLING COMPOSITION,
who is overwhelmed with joy and admiration at her courage and devotion. Their
SEPARATION AND REUNION
BECOME A CHROMATIC love is renewed, and with the king’s blessing, they are married in Tunis. Rich in
PILGRIMAGE, EVERY FRACTURED fortune and fuller still in heart, the couple returns to Lipari, where they are welcomed
GEOMETRY SUGGESTS BOTH THE
with admiration. The story is a testament to the enduring power of love, tested by
SPLINTERING OF HOPE AND THE
UNPREDICTABILITY OF FATE. separation, sharpened by longing, and ultimately rewarded by destiny.
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