The Decameron (Day Five / 7.3, 7.4, 8.3, 8.7, 8.8)

How do you feel about these tricksters succeeding in their trickery to the point of even getting rewarded with little to no consequence?

Throughout these stories a theme almost as common as the tricksters himself is the rewards or freedom he is granted. In day seventh: story three we see Brother Rinaldo trick his godson’s father into believing he was healing his son while he was really sleeping with the father’s wife. He succeeds and the end of the story shows no consequence. In day eight: story eight we see the tricksters in this case being almost every character expresses a form of trickery. In the end the ultimate or alpha trickster, Zeppa, is rewarded as the two husbands come to an accord to share there wives. It is almost as if Spinelloccio is saying “well, you got me there, we might as well keep doing it.”

This social depravity or more so social acceptance of trickery seems common in the stories and a frequent theme of the time. Success through trickery has become a desirable result within these stories. I find it is odd and displeasing simply from a moralistic standpoint, as anyone naturally would feel inclined to avoid trickery. When we strive to be good people we tell ourselves deception spoils our clean virtue and to avoid these low roads.

The stories seem to either mock that ideal or just simply make comedy or entertainment out of the situation. I find it strange on a moral-driven viewpoint yet from a worldly perspective it is not strange and rather a truth of life, that at times a trickster will receive his or her reward. Although dishonesty at time receives praise and honor, one must take a closer look at a lifestyle driven by deception; these trickster live on the edge and know in the back of their minds that it can catch up to them. This is why we naturally find it best to avoid these low roads; they become estranged and twisted; leading into uncharted places where no soul strives to exist.