Abstract
This article reevaluates the significance of a portion of a letter written by Boccaccio to Mainardo Cavalcanti which has traditionally been read as a comment on the Decameron and evidence for the existence of a female reading public. It argues that there is no evidence to link the comments in the letter specifically to the Decameron; rather it refers to the whole of Boccaccio's vernacular output and should be read as a rhetorical pronouncement on the abilities of different kinds of readers, rather than as an address to historical women.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 423-47 |
Number of pages | 25 |
Journal | Modern Language Review |
Volume | 106 |
Issue number | 2 |
Publication status | Published - Apr 2011 |
Research Groups and Themes
- Centre for Material Texts
- Centre for Medieval Studies
Keywords
- Boccaccio
- Mainardo Cavalcanti
- Decameron
- reading
- female readers
- historiography