The Decameron Fourth Day in Perspective

This compilation of eleven essays offers exciting new perspectives on one of the greatest works of Italian literature.

Michael Sherberg is a former president of the American Boccaccio Association, and erstwhile chair of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at Washington University.

"In each of these eleven essays, the contributors offer significant innovations and are mindful to integrate the latest scholarly perspectives in their analysis. Traditional readings have […] been enriched and modernized, with special attention paid to questions of gender and the relation between spaces and plots, making this volume an innovative and essential tool for the study of the fourth day of the Decameron."

Rhiannon Daniels, Department of Italian, University of Bristol:

"Providing fresh interpretations, this volume is a major contribution to research on Boccaccio’s most widely-read text: the essays included here are written and edited by established authorities, each of which offers new readings on Day IV. This volume will be particularly desirable beyond medieval and early modern Italian studies, as alongside literary questions, the volume touches on aspects such as medieval law, ethics and religion, sociological and gender studies."

Valerio Cappozzo, Department of Modern Languages, University of Mississippi:

"The approach of focalizing on one Day is particularly interesting, as it provides a very specialized and in-depth interpretation of a detailed part of Boccaccio’s masterpiece, which centers on the theme of unhappy love. The volume is specific yet always refers to the big picture, including The Decameron as a whole but also the time period and references to other authors."