Guisfredi (Giannotto) Character Analysis in The Decameron

Guisfredi (Giannotto) appears in Emilia’s second tale (II, 6), where he is the older son of Arrighetto Capece and Beritola Caracciolo. He and his brother The Outcast are kidnapped by pirates and enslaved in the household of Guasparrino d'Oria, only restored to their former position and reunited with their family after many years. In this way, his story illustrates fortune’s twists, similarly to another wrongly enslaved nobleman, Teodoro (V, 7). But he also shows an innate nobility of character when he escapes forced slavery, becomes a paid servant in Currado Malespina’s home, and falls in love with Currado’s daughter, Spina.

Guisfredi (Giannotto) Character Timeline in The Decameron

The timeline below shows where the character Guisfredi (Giannotto) appears in The Decameron. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...King Manfred. He has a lovely and aristocratic wife, Beritola Caracciolo, and a son named Guisfredi. When Manfred dies in battle with King Charles, Arrighetto prepares to flee, but he is... (full context)

...grieve her ill fortune each day. While she is crying in the cave, pirates capture Guisfredi, The Outcast, and their nurse along with her ship, and Beritola finds herself alone. Abandoned,... (full context)

...if their identities are revealed (and hoping that fortune might eventually relent), begins to call Guisfredi “Giannotto” (The Outcast gets to keep his name). Guisfredi (Giannotto) finds servitude distasteful and after... (full context)

While Guisfredi (Giannotto) serves Currado, he falls in love with Currado’s daughter Spina. The intensity of their... (full context)

While Guisfredi (Giannotto) languishes in prison, the political winds shift. On hearing that King Charles has been... (full context)

Currado visits Guisfredi (Giannotto) to complain about his dishonorable actions with Spina. But since he has learned that... (full context)

Currado sets the stage for reunion. He asks Cavriuola (Beritola) if she’d like Guisfredi back and Spina as a daughter-in-law. Then he asks his wife if she’d like Guisfredi... (full context)

Guisfredi asks Currado to retrieve The Outcast from Guasparrino. While he is initially reluctant to believe... (full context)

After the wedding, Beritola, Guisfredi, Spina, The Outcast, his wife, and the nurse sail back to Sicily under favorable winds,... (full context)