Antonio d’Orso Character Analysis in The Decameron

Based on a historical bishop who was a near contemporary of Giovanni Boccaccio, Antonio d’Orso appears in Lauretta’s sixth tale (VI, 3), where he hosts Catalan nobleman and scoundrel Dego della Ratta. He ignores Dego’s forced affair with his relative and is punished for making a sexist and demeaning comment to Nonna de’ Pulci when she offers a scathing retort implicating the bishop’s relative for her affair.

Antonio d’Orso Character Timeline in The Decameron

The timeline below shows where the character Antonio d’Orso appears in The Decameron. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

When Antonio d’Orso is bishop of Florence, a Catalan nobleman named Dego della Ratta visits the city. A... (full context)

Later, when Antonio d’Orso and Dego della Ratta ride through the streets during St. John’s festival, Antonio points out... (full context)

Nonna de’ Pulci, worried about her reputation in the face of Antonio d’Orso ’s public words, swiftly retorts: “In the unlikely event” that she would, she would want... (full context)