The Decameron tancredi

Tancredi, Prince of Salerno

A benevolent ruler who loved his only daughter Ghismunda but struggled with her romantic choices.

Guiscardo

A humble young valet loved by Ghismunda, whose origins were considered base yet noble in character.

Ghismunda

The only daughter of Tancredi, known for her deep love for Guiscardo, her clandestine lover.

Clandestine love

A secret love affair, in this case between Ghismunda and Guiscardo.

Pity and sorrow

Key emotions elicited by the tragic love story of Ghismunda and Guiscardo.

Calamity

A disastrous event that transforms joy into sorrow, reflecting the downfall of the lovers.

Nobility vs. baseness

A theme exploring the relationship between birth status and virtue, as exemplified by Ghismunda’s choice in Guiscardo.

Fatalism

The belief that all events are predetermined, which plays a role in the tragic outcomes of the story.

Parental love and conflict

Tancredi’s struggle between love for his daughter and the anger over her choice of lover.

Nobility and virtue

The idea that true nobility is determined by virtue and actions rather than social status, as argued by Ghismunda.

Public vs. private grief

The contrast between how the characters express their emotions in public versus what they feel internally.

Life and death

Central themes in the lovers' story, culminating in death as a means of reunification.

Righteous indignation

Tancredi's reaction to Ghismunda's affair, showcasing his internal conflict as a father.

Desperate love

A portrayal of the lengths to which Ghismunda would go for Guiscardo, emphasizing the intensity of her feelings.

Mortality

The inevitability of death that underscores the tragic romance of the story.

Final resolution

The bittersweet conclusion where Tancredi honors his daughter and Guiscardo with a joint burial after realizing his errors.