The Decameron Characters

The Decameron Character List

Dioneo

The most clever among the group, Dioneo is afforded the privilege of telling a story about whichever topic he chooses. He is granted allowances for his intellect.

Fiammetta, Filmena, Emlia, Lauretta, Neifile, Elissa

These are six of the seven young women. All extremely pious, they attempt to find an honorable way to await the end of the plague. Timid women of the upper class, they do not trust themselves to make a perilous journey alone, so they collectively choose to trust three young men who have arrived at their church recently. The women's story is one of loyalty and resilience.

Pampinea

She is the eldest of the girls. Pampinea leads the group and makes most of their decisions. In fact it is her idea that they leave the church. Faced with her loving care for the other girls in the face of the grave danger of the plague, she makes the tough choices which eventually preserve them all safely.

Panfilo and Filostrato

These are the other two escorts. They both participate in the storytelling, as well as providing for and protecting the girls. Like knights or musketeers of old, they take their escort mission very seriously, but their piety is only rivaled by their creativity in storytelling.

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