Reference no: EM133224811
Assignment - Decameron Summary Essay
Description - This is a class-wide Discussion Board Post activity. Please take note of everything. Complete this activity after you have read all of the assigned tales from Day Two of the Decameron
Step One: Select one tale among the ones you read for Decameron Day Two (II.5, II.7, II.8 or II.9). Now respond to the following questions in complete sentences. Directly cite the page number of the story for each item (i.e., "p.150"):
1. Who is the protagonist (the main character) of your tale?
2. What is the protagonist's profession and social standing?
3. What are all of the tangible (material) items that are lost by the protagonist?
4. What are the intangible items that the protagonist loses (such as status, family, happiness)?
5. Who or what event is the immediate cause for the protagonist's changes in fortune - both to bad fortune and to good fortune? (This person or even is called the "catalyst.")
6. Is the catalyst a woman?
Step Two: Now respond to the following questions in complete sentences:
1. What does this tale tell you about the relationship between social status (i.e., merchant class, or nobility) and their experience of Fortune?
2. What does this tale tell you about the depiction of women and the feminine characterization of Lady Fortune? Do they feel similar, or do they contradict each other? For example, is there a positive female catalyst who helps a protagonist attain a state of happiness after a series of misfortunes?
3. Do you feel that this relationship between the idea of fortune (or luck), gender, and social class is still relevant today?
Step Three: Now synthesize your responses to Steps One and Two into two paragraphs. Be sure to include direct textual citations. Your final post should be at least 150 words, but you may go over that amount. Read the Discussion Board grading rubric to see how your initial post will be evaluated.