Page 176 - SUMMARIES OF GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO’S DECAMEON : A Visionary Journey In 100 Stories And 100 Etchings By Petru Russu

A Friar’s Desire: Monna Belcolore
BOLD PATTERNS AND
EXAGGERATED POSTURES
REFLECT THE WHIMSICAL NATURE
OF DECEPTION AND FOLLY.
DECAMERON 174
In the Second Novell of the Eighth Day, Boccaccio serves up a tale
that’s more playful than scandalous, but still laced with the familiar
mix of lust, wit, and poetic justice. It unfolds in the quiet village of
Varlungo, near Florence, where the local priest is less interested in
scripture and more devoted to the spiritual nourishment of the town’s
wives, especially Monna Belcolore, the lively and clever wife of a
farmer named Bentivegna.
The priest, known for his generous blessings and flirtatious gifts, sets his
sights on Monna Belcolore. In an effort to win her affection, he leaves his
cloak, a prized possession and symbol of his vocation, as a pledge. She,
amused and calculating, lends him her mortar in return. The transaction
is intimate but veiled, a coy exchange that seems innocent enough on the
surface, yet brimming with subtext. Their tryst is brief and veiled, hidden
behind the everyday bartering common in rustic life.
Later, the priest returns the mortar and, with mock seriousness,
requests his cloak back, claiming the mortar was a loan and the cloak
merely collateral. Monna Belcolore sees through the ploy and meets
it not with confrontation but with sharp humor. Her response isn’t
outraged; it’s sly and teasing, showing she’s not only unimpressed by
his rank but perfectly capable of outmaneuvering his schemes.
Eventually, to keep things peaceful between herself and her husband,
she hands the cloak back. But in doing so, she makes it clear that the
priest’s tricks are no match for her wit. Her laughter lingers as much
as his embarrassment does. There’s no vengeance, only a subtle
triumph, proof that Monna Belcolore knows how to dance around
desire without falling into disgrace.
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