Page 158 - SUMMARIES OF GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO’S DECAMEON : A Visionary Journey In 100 Stories And 100 Etchings By Petru Russu

Love and Lies: Tofano and Ghita

A tale not of star-crossed lovers, but of battle-tested spouses wielding
deception like a rapier. If Peronella was audacious and Agnesa subtle,
Ghita is pure tactical brilliance. Boccaccio doesn’t just serve drama

here, he serves poetic justice with a well-timed splash.

Tofano, plagued by jealousy and control, locks his wife Ghita out of
their home one night, convinced she’s guilty of betrayal. Rather than
grovel or retreat, Ghita responds with a masterclass in improvisation.

In the quiet tension of a moonlit street, she loudly laments her fate
and declares she’s about to end her life. The centerpiece of her
performance? A large stone hurled into a nearby well, echoing like a

body falling, convincing Tofano she’s taken the plunge.

Suddenly overcome with guilt and terror, Tofano bolts from the
house, frantic to rescue the woman he cast out. But the moment he
vacates his post, plot twist! Ghita tiptoes back, locks the door behind

him, and transforms the tables entirely. Now he’s outside, helpless
and humiliated, while she scolds him from the window like a queen
delivering judgment to a peasant.
WROUGHT IN AN IRREVERENT
ETCHING STYLE, VIBRANT,
LABYRINTHINE, AND What makes this tale so delightful isn’t just Ghita’s cunning, it’s
RHYTHMICALLY SURREA, the symmetry. The stone creates a splash in the well, but more
‘TOFANO AND GHITA’ importantly, it creates a splash in the narrative. Ghita turns a moment
UNFOLDS AS A VISUAL of perceived weakness into victory, wielding performance and
PARABLE OF THEATRICAL
JUSTICE, WHERE DECEPTION manipulation to expose her husband’s foolishness.
SHEDS CRUELTY AND
BECOMES CHOREOGRAPHY, Boccaccio uses humor and irony not just to entertain, but to subtly
TRANSFORMING DOMESTIC
DISCORD INTO A STAGE OF WIT critique societal norms, especially around marriage, control, and
AND CUNNING REVERSAL. reputation. Ghita may not be saintly, but she’s certainly savvy.
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