Page 84 - Petru Russo | The 100 Days of Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio

Tancredi and Ghismonda
This novella is a powerful tale of love, betrayal, and grief, unfolding
in Salerno under the shadow of tragedy. Themes of passion, familial
duty, and heartbreak shape its narrative.
Tancredi, the Prince of Salerno, treasures his daughter Ghismonda
as his only child. Unknown to Tancredi, Ghismonda has secretly
taken Guiscardo, a man of modest status in her father’s court, as
her lover. Their happiness is discovered when Tancredi spies on
them, and he is overcome by rage and betrayal.
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Seeking revenge, Tancredi orders Guiscardo’s execution, tearing his
heart from his body. He sends the heart to Ghismonda in a golden
cup. Overwhelmed by despair and defiance, Ghismonda pours a
poisonous distillation over the heart and drinks it, choosing to join
her lover in death.
This tale concludes as a haunting meditation on the consequences
of unchecked power and the devastating costs of forbidden love. It
leaves readers reflecting on the fragility of human bonds and the
depths of grief.
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