The Black Death In Giovanni Boccaccio's The Decameron

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The source is a first account of the Black Death’s arrival in Florence, Italy. It was written within The introduction of, The Decameron, in 1741, by Giovanni Boccaccio, a renowned poet, writer, and early humanist to better determine the multitude of deaths of the “Black Death” as it moved inland from port cities.

When the plague reached Italy from the east, Giovanni Boccaccio’s account of the actions some individuals took to prevent and avoid the plague were indeed alarming. For instance, outside communities were formed to avoid all contact with the sick, leaving their families and friends, and themselves mentally scared. Subsequently, these individuals would divert their minds to as many delights as they could devise. Others, would drink heavily and mock the sick, however, no matter the circumstance the Black Death indirectly affected their lives as millions died in sheer agony and pain.
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Similarly, the source described the actions of Europeans who encountered the inconceivable destruction. This calamitous event is well documented regarding the diversity of those that helped the inflicted. While primarily a work of fiction, “the Introduction to The Decameron has emerged as an important historical record of the physical, psychological, and social effects of the aggressive spread of the plague.” Subsequently, provides a significant philosophical insight into the medieval psyche as Europe faced the alarming and unprecedented epidemic of the Black Death and his account of the falls of famous men and his book of illustrious

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