3.3- What is this story saying about trickery? What does
this story say about lying and the deception of words?
Explain your answer with support from the text.
There is ultimately no reproach for the lady's lying words nor the nobleman's adulterous actions. Indeed the final words from the text say "and I pray God through the bounty of His mercy that He may soon bestow the same thing upon me and every other Christian soul who has such a desire." These deceptive words are not in the slightest construed as a negative thing in the text, so perhaps we can draw from this that Bocaccio is inferring a few small lies aren't the end all, and that the adultery is not such a terrible thing if it brings happiness. As for the condition in which such lies are accepted, the alms given at each meeting the lady has with the friar of course oil him up, so to say. The theme of tying the Church and money together and displaying its negative or at least "unholy" effects is prevalent here.
3.9- What are the implications of Giletta's occupation? How
does she use this to her advantage? Explain your answer
with support from the text.
The implications of Giletta's occupation are that she is skilled in medicine, has a bright mind, but is also more aware and knowledgable of the body than perhaps a lady should be and furthermore is from a decidedly "working class" family (at least compared to the leisure of true nobility). The latter two are the reasons the Count disdains to be in her presence or to be married to her. He sees her as lower than himself in the court, and thus unacceptable as a wife and mother for his children. He quite blatantly states that when the King orders the Count to be married to her. However, due to her bright mind, she is able to construct a plan which wins him back. So although initially her occupation is a curse, it eventually becomes a blessing as she gets all that she desires by the end of the vignette.
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