McLeod-Warrick 1

Matthew McLeod-Warrick
Dr. Snow
Renaissance Themes
10/27/2016
Protofeminst qualities in Boccaccios Decameron
During the Renaissance, and indeed throughout most of human history, women have been
belittled by men. Time after time, their job has been seen as only a parent, or as a caretaker.
Boccaccio seems to go against these social norms portrayed during the Renaissance. He does not
entirely overcome them; however he lays down the idea that women can be equal to men. In
Novel nine in his Decameron, Boccaccio actually portrays a lady by the name of Zinevra who
fixes a problem that was started by her husband Bernab Lomellin and his bet against
Ambrogiuolo. In novel nine, she acts intelligently, showing cunning by outwitting the man who
made her husband believer her to unfaithful and thus making her husband try to kill her. Thus,
Boccaccio is a protofeminist who offers a shining hope for woman to do more than what their
social norms ask of them, but still he is not a modern feminist in the sense that he still advocates
woman to be subservient to men.
In Bernabs wage against Ambrogiuolo, Boccaccio shows that Zinevra is loyal and
modest, going against the social norm of the time. Other men when talking about their wives in
the novel imply that their wives will not cheat on them while they are away: in short all seemed
to concur in the opinion that the ladies they had left behind them were not likely to neglect their
opportunities. (Day 2 novel IX p 4) Bernab is different. He had complete confidence in his
wife. He says that his wife was the most perfect paragon to be found in Italy of all the virtues
proper to a lady. (Day 2 novel IX p 4) He continues to describe some activates she knew how

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to do, including hawking and hunting, activities that typically only men did at the time.
Bernabs bragging of his wife causes Ambrogiuolo to test this theory with a bet. However, it is
essential to the plot that Bernab had confidence and such high praise for his wife. This trust and
praise shows that woman at the time were not as base or unintelligent as other men thought.
Showing other women as base in comparison to Zinevra also shows that some women can be
revered while others are condemned. Essentially, showing that women can be good, but most are
not good instead sinful and unfaithful to their dutiful make husbands.
Zinevra then proves her husbands point of her modesty when Ambrogiuolo tries to
seduce her. Indeed, she portrayed such an air of modesty that Ambrogiuolo abandoned his plans
to seduce her, recognizing that his enterprise was hopeless. (Day 2 novel IX p 24) The shift of
thinking he can win her honor to realizing that his efforts are hopeless shows that Zinevra was a
women of such modesty that Ambrogiuolo would not even try to seduce her. Thus, Zinevra is a
testament of how women can be honest. Thus, with her steadfast moral attitude, she won the bet,
proving true her modesty which went against social norms of the time.
A greater example of Boccaccio's view on women in the Novel is when Zinevra portrays
herself as a man named Sicurano and finds her way by herself. She was forced to do this because
Ambrogiuolo tricked Bernab to think that he slept with his wife. This caused Bernab to lose
all his money. In turn this led Bernab to have his servant kill his wife. Fortunately, the
innocent Zinevra was able to escape the servant with her life. However, she still had to find a
way to survive. Alone and desolate in the middle of the wilderness, she was able to get herself
out her dire situation (Day 2 novel IX p 42). With great cunning and intelligence she portrayed
herself as a male sailor and found her way to the coast where she is immediately hired by Segner
Encararch, who was very impressed by her work and found her so apt and handy at service that

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he was exceeding well pleased with her. (Day 2 novel IX p 43) In a matter of weeks, Zinevra
went from being on the brink of death, to being a handy sailor. For any person, it is remarkable
that she went from such a desolate position to being steadily employed and revered for her work.
To add to this incredible change of status, she demonstrated such good work that the gentleman
whom she worked for was very pleased with her work. Thus, when compared to other men,
Zinevra impressed and showed that a woman could do a mans job just as well.
Another point that one can use to argue that Boccaccio was protofeminist was that he
finishes the story with Zinevra being the hero of the tale. During her time as a sailor, she found
herself in Alexandria and became a minister to the Solodon. It is here where she finds out how
Ambrogiuolo tricked her, and that he was the reason that for her husband trying to kill her. Thus
with great cunning, Zinevra organized a meeting with her boss the Solodan, her husband, and
Ambrogiuolo. To do this, she tricked Ambrogiuolo into thinking that he would be benefited to
stay and provided him with a shop, and put no little of her own money in his hands; so that he,
finding it very profitable, was glad enough to stay. (Day 2 novel IX p 56) She then organized
for her husband to come to the Alexandria. After he arrived, he was brought to court, to find that
Ambrogiuolo was being tortured to find out whether or not he actually slept with Bernabs wife.
During this torture, Zinevra showed no mercy to Ambrogiuolo: Still more harsh was the aspect
of Sicurano. (Day 22 novel 9 p 59) After the torture, Ambrogiuolo finally confesses to his
wrongs, and gives back all the money he took from Bernab. Sicurano than reveals herself as
Zinevra, and she takes back her husband. This emphatic ending shows that Zinevra had the
cunning, the wit, and sheer audacity to torture a man for the truth, get her husband her money
back, and prove her own innocence. She was confronted with problem after problem during the
story. She did not take them lightly and give up, like some might do. Instead, she fought

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through the adversity she was faced with and succeeded in fixing problems that were created by
men. She proved that women can absolutely fix the problems that men created and men failed to
fix. Thus, Zinevras character serves as a clear reminder that woman can be heroes and fix
problems that men create.
In conclusion, Boccaccio is not a feminist in the modern sense, but still supports women
being able to be successful. Zinevra was able to accomplish great deeds in Boccaccios work,
but she was dressed as a man, not a woman when accomplishing such deeds. This shows that
Boccaccio did believe in woman being able to accomplish great deeds, yet because of social
constructions of the day women could only be able to accomplish great deeds through being a
man. Thus, Boccaccio offers woman a brighter future than most Renaissance authors. Yet
Boccaccio is realistic in his work. If for instance, Zinevra performed all her great deeds dressed
as a woman, it would show other women that they could be like her. Because Boccaccio does
not do this, and instead shows that only as a man woman can do things he is being realistic. For,
he is not saying in his work that everyday woman can go out and do great deeds. Boccaccio is
saying in his work that woman can do great things, but they are not likely to since they would
have to go through great costs to be dressed as a man. In the end, he illustrates through his
Novel nine that woman can do great things; they can be sailors and they can even be heroes who
save their husbands skin, but only because she was dressed as a man.

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Works Cited
Boccaccio, Giovanni. "Second Day Novel IX" The Decameron, Brown University, 2014.
Brown Department of Italian Studies. Accessed 27th October 28, 2016