Page 76 - Petru Russo | The 100 Days of Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio

Ferondo and the Abbot
This novella from The Decameron is a sharp and humorous tale of
deception, gullibility, and abuse of authority. Themes of arrogance,
manipulation, and human folly are vividly explored.
Ferondo, a wealthy yet foolish man, is married to a beautiful and
virtuous woman. Though he loves her, he treats her with disdain
and arrogance, driven by his self-centered nature. His wife,
frustrated but dutiful, endures his antics with grace.
The cunning abbot of a local monastery, secretly enamored
with Ferondo’s wife, sees an opportunity to exploit Ferondo’s
foolishness. He gives Ferondo a powder that induces a death-like
state, leading to his burial. Meanwhile, the abbot disinters him in
secret and convinces Ferondo that he is in purgatory, placing him
in a hidden cell within the monastery.
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While Ferondo believes he is atoning for his sins, the abbot enjoys
the company of Ferondo’s wife, who, seeking solace from her
neglectful husband, succumbs to the abbot’s advances. During this
time, the abbot fathers a child, whom Ferondo will eventually raise
as his own.
After months of imprisonment and manipulation, the abbot
“resurrects” Ferondo, releasing him to his wife and restoring his
former life. Convinced of his time in purgatory, Ferondo becomes
more humble and devout, oblivious to the events that unfolded
during his absence.
This satirical tale critiques the abuses of religious authority and the
follies of blind trust and arrogance. Ferondo’s misplaced faith in the
abbot and his own inflated ego serve as a humorous cautionary lesson.
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