The Decameron

The Decameron

by

Giovanni Boccaccio

Father Gianni Character Analysis

In Dioneo’s ninth tale (IX, 10), Father Gianni is an Apulian priest who supplements his church wages by becoming a small-time trader. He befriends Neighbor Pietro and his wife Gemmata. When he has sex with Gemmata in front of Pietro, he’s performing the role of fabliaux priest and contributing to the anticlerical satire in The Decameron which sees priests as oversexed.
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Father Gianni Character Timeline in The Decameron

The timeline below shows where the character Father Gianni appears in The Decameron. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Day 9: Tenth Tale
Moderation and Excess Theme Icon
In Barletta, a priest named Father Gianni di Barolo supplements his meager church income by small-time trading, carrying his wares to local... (full context)
Love and Sex Theme Icon
Class and Character Theme Icon
When Father Gianni visits, Gemmata offers to stay with a friend so that he can share the bed... (full context)
Love and Sex Theme Icon
Faith vs. Religion Theme Icon
Just before dawn, Neighbor Pietro and Gemmata summon Father Gianni —still in his nightshirt—to teach them. Extracting a promise that they will follow his instructions... (full context)
Love and Sex Theme Icon
Men and Women Theme Icon
Neighbor Pietro, who had been silent, exclaims that he doesn’t want the tail. Father Gianni finishes his business, then tells Pietro that this interruption ruined the magic and there’s no... (full context)