Representation Of Women In Boccaccio's Decameron

Within the novellas of Boccaccio's Decameron, there are countless examples of women being controlled by the men in their lives. One example is the relationship of the Marquis of Saluzzo, Gualtieri and his wife Griselda depicted in the Day 10, Story 10 novella. Pressured by his people, Gualtieri decided to marry Griselda, who was a poor farm girl. Gualtieri asked Griselda a series of questions that exemplify how women were essentially ruled by their husbands, including, “If he were to marry her, she would always try to please him and never be upset by anything he said or did, (and) whether she would obey him” (Boccaccio). Griselda was expected to obey her husband’s requests and to recognize his power over her. As the novella progressed, Gualtieri …show more content…
He refers to women, like property, as an entity that is owned and governed by men. Men are to assert control over women, who should rightfully submit to the more powerful male. Machiavelli notes, “For my part I consider that it is better to be adventurous than cautious, because fortune is a woman, and if you wish to keep her under it is necessary to beat and ill-use her; and it is seen that she allows herself to be mastered by the adventurous rather than by those who go to work more coldly. She is, therefore, always, woman-like, a lover of young men, because they are less cautious, more violent, and with more audacity command her”(Machiavelli). Obedience is achieved through display of power, and force is often required to achieve the desired submission of …show more content…
Yet, despite all of these examples of women as subservient, women did not lose all their power under this abuse. Some wealthy women were able to “break the mold of subjugation to achieve at the least, fame, if not independence.” For instance Lucrezia Borgia, influenced the social scene in Ferrara as a famous patron of the arts. Isabella d’Este, an educated and musically talented woman, also held political and social influence in Mantua. In fact, because of her, Mantua was known as a “major center or wit, elegance, and artistic genius.” She even ruled Mantua after her husband was captured in battle, and promoted the textile industry which would become vital to the Mntua economy. The power of woman was not only evident through these political figures, but in fact, can be seen through paintings as well. During the Renaissance, it was quite rare to see a person or figure ever looking straight to the audience within a painting. However, in Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, she stares right at the audience and her gaze is one that attracts your attention. While the size of the painting is small, the eyes of Mona Lisa are captivating and quite powerful. Another example of a woman looking straight through a painting is within Botticelli’s La Primavera. Flora, stares straight. After Chloris was raped,