Medieval Christian philosophers struggled to reconcile the idea of free will with the existence of a God who ultimately controls everything. The storytellers in The Decameron have a lot of names for forces beyond their control: Nature, Fate, Fortune, God, the immortal gods, "immutable law." Whatever you call it (and it depends on when and where you lived), there's a fairly overwhelming sense that the course of life is more or less out of man's exclusive control, and that opposing the forces that dictate our lives is useless at best, and dangerous at worst. Boccaccio introduces the work by telling his readers that the plague was caused either by "heavenly bodies" or that it's a "punishment signifying God's righteous anger at our iniquitous way of life." Either way, "all the wisdom and ingenuity of man were unavailing." Score one for God.
Fortune is a major character in The Decameron. Emilia calls Fortune "the enemy of all who prosper," (III.7.237) letting us know that you should never get comfortable even if things are going right at the moment because we're not in control. On the other hand, Fortune or Fate's constant presence gives reason to hope when you're about to be drowned or burned at the stake, or when you've been swindled out of everything you own. Either way, it's probably not up to you.
But in many of the stories, men and women create their own opportunities and luck. Personal initiative and ingenuity in the face of bad luck (like your husband walking in on you and your sweetie or your beloved being married to someone else) are highly prized qualities in the stories. Characters seem to be acting quite freely, often in opposition from what they think God would want—honesty, fidelity, chastity, etc. it certainly seems like people are making decisions and taking actions freely all the time. The brigata certainly demonstrate this kind of initiative in leaving Florence to save themselves.
But a medieval religious worldview might say that God ultimately caused, or at least knew about, these decisions. In the words of Hamlet, "There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will." But wait a sec. In Julius Caesar Cassius says: "Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." We see both philosophies at work in The Decameron.
Questions About Fate vs. Free Will
- How does Fortune figure into stories where the protagonists violate social or moral codes and still come out on top?
- Does free will ever truly work independently from divine intervention in The Decameron?
- How do Fate, Fortune and Nature function in the Christian worldview of The Decameron? In other words, how do these figures exist and work with the idea of God and divine will?
Chew on This
Boccaccio uses Fate, Fortune and divine will as the beginning of a conversation on larger social issues such as poverty, oppression, gender differences, war and disease.
The ladies of the brigata praise the benevolence of Fortune when they are able to put their plan to flee Florence into action and devote an entire day to stories concerning her power. However, the careful planning of their daily routine and the choose-your-own-theme storytelling scheme show that they also they won't be passive bystanders in their own lives.