Page 152 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 152
“Tofano and Ghita“
A man called Tofano marries a very beautiful woman isn’t buying it, so he stands fast. Ghita throws a huge stone
named Monna Ghita. He immediately becomes jealous into the well to dupe Tofano into thinking she made good
of her. Since Ghita’s done nothing to deserve this, she on her threat. Tofano’s horrified when he hears the splash.
decides to torment her new husband. So she finds herself a He runs to the well to save his wife, but Ghita is waiting
handsome young man and quickly devises a way to be with by the door for her chance. Now the tables are turned:
him. Ghita finds her husband’s Achilles’ heel: he loves the Tofano’s on the step and Ghita locks herself inside the
drink. She encourages him to get plastered in the evenings house. She begins to scream as loudly as possible about
so she can put him to bed and do what she likes with her his drunken behavior. Pretty soon there’s a real ruckus and
lover. But Tofano realizes that his wife never drinks with the neighbors get involved. Ghita plays the poor, helpless
him. He starts to suspect what she’s doing. One night, he wife of a drunken jerk. Tofano tries to tell the truth but
just pretends to be drunk, so his wife puts him to bed as no one believes him. Then Ghita’s kinsfolk get wind of the
usual and goes over to her lover’s house. Tofano waits until situation and beat Tofano within an inch of his life. They
she’s gone and bolts the door after her. Ghita returns and pack up Ghita and her belongings and take her home with
is left howling on the doorstep to be let in. Tofano refuses. them. Tofano realizes that he wants his wife back, and after
Then Ghita gets some inspiration. She tells Tofano that lots of negotiating and promising never again to be jealous,
she’ll hurl herself into the well if he doesn’t let her in. The they’re reconciled. In this way, Ghita’s basically given
neighbors will think he killed her in a drunken rage. Tofano permission to do as she pleased from then on.
“Tofano and Ghita” retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
DECAMERON 152 <https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/decameron/summary/seventh-day-fourth-story>
