Ghismunda di boccaccio biography

Last week, I looked at the tragic tale of Lisabetta which was told by Filomena on the fourth day of Boccaccio’s Decameron. The first story that day was equally tragic. Although it is less familiar in paintings, it too has been told by several artists. This is the story of Ghismonda and her love for Guiscardo, as told by Fiammetta.

Ghismonda was the daughter of Prince Tancredi of Salerno, who was known for being a benevolent ruler, but in his later years became a very possessive father.

He refused to let her marry until she was older than was usual, and when she did, her husband died soon after.

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She returned to live with her doting father, who had no interest in seeing her married for a second time. So she decided to take a lover instead.

She fell in love with a young valet to her father named Guiscardo, and he fell in love with her. Ghismonda devised an ingenious way of passing him messages, concealed inside a reed.

They met in an old cavern underneath the palace: Ghismonda Character Analysis in The Decameron | LitCharts SOTIB