The Decameron

The Decameron

by

Giovanni Boccaccio

Calandrino Character Analysis

Calandrino appears in four of The Decameron’s stories: Elissa’s eighth (VIII, 3), Filomena’s eighth (VIII, 6), Filostrato’s ninth (IX, 3), and Fiammetta’s ninth (IX, 5). “Calandrino” was the nickname of a thirteenth/fourteenth-century Florentine painter who was, like the character in The Decameron, famous for being simple-minded. He is friends with other painters, including Bruno, Buffalmacco, and Nello; is married to Tessa; and uses Simone da Villa as his physician. He is excessively gullible, tends to drink too much, and takes out his frustrations on his wife through physical and verbal abuse. In his various tales, he searches for a magic stone and beats his wife (VIII, 3); loses a pig to Bruno and Buffalmacco (VIII, 6); is convinced that he is pregnant (IX, 3); and falls in love with a prostitute, thinking that she is an aristocratic wife (IX, 5).

Calandrino Quotes in The Decameron

The The Decameron quotes below are all either spoken by Calandrino or refer to Calandrino. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Love and Sex Theme Icon
).
Day 8: Sixth Tale Quotes

Calandrino is a mean sort of fellow, who’s very fond of drinking when other people pay. So let’s go and take him to the tavern, where the priest can pretend to play the host to the rest of us and pay for all the drinks. When he sees that he has nothing to pay, Calandrino will drink himself into a stupor, and then the rest will be plain sailing because there’s no one else staying at the house.

Everything turned out as Bruno had predicted. When Calandrino saw that the priest would not allow him to pay, he began to drink like a fish, and quaffed a great deal more than he needed to make him drunk.

Related Characters: Bruno (speaker), Filomena, Calandrino, Buffalmacco
Page Number: 580
Explanation and Analysis:
Day 9: Fifth Tale Quotes

Hence, albeit we have referred many times to the doings of Calandrino, they are invariably so amusing, as Filostrato pointed out a little earlier, that I shall venture to add a further tale to those we have already heard about him. I could easily have told it in some other way, using fictitious names, had I wished to do; but since by departing from the truth of what actually happened, the storyteller greatly diminishes the pleasure of his listeners, I shall turn for support to my opening remarks, and tell it in its proper form.

Related Characters: Fiammetta (speaker), Filostrato, Calandrino
Page Number: 669
Explanation and Analysis:

He gave her a friendly greeting, which she acknowledged, then she began to stare at him, not because she found him the least bit attractive, but because she was fascinated by his odd appearance. Calandrino returned her gaze, and on seeing how beautiful she was, began to think of various excuses for not returning with the water to his companions. However, not knowing who she was, he was afraid to address her, and the girl, perceiving that he was still staring at her, mischievously rolled her eyes at him a couple of times, and fetched a few little sighs, so that Calandrino instantly fell in love with her and stood rooted to the spot till she was called inside by Filippo.

Related Characters: Fiammetta (speaker), Calandrino, Bachelor Filippo, Niccolosa
Page Number: 669-670
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Decameron LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Decameron PDF

Calandrino Character Timeline in The Decameron

The timeline below shows where the character Calandrino appears in The Decameron. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Day 8: Third Tale
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Elissa’s story has as its protagonist Calandrino, a Florentine painter and “simple, unconventional sort of fellow.” His friends include Bruno and Buffalmacco,... (full context)
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Thanks to Calandrino’s reputation for gullibility, notorious trickster Maso del Saggio decides to play a prank on him.... (full context)
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Maso del Saggio tells Calandrino that heliotropes, which are nearly black stones with the magical property of making someone invisible... (full context)
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...and Buffalmacco enough time to plan their own prank. On Sunday morning, they go with Calandrino to search just beyond the city walls. Calandrino  picks up every black stone he sees,... (full context)
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But as Calandrino  enters his house, Calandrino’s wife, Tessa, chides him for missing breakfast. Stunned that she can... (full context)
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Calandrino jumps up to resume beating Tessa, but Bruno and Buffalmacco restrain him. They say it’s... (full context)
Day 8: Sixth Tale
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Filomena’s tale, inspired by Elissa’s, also concerns Calandrino, Bruno, and Buffalmacco. A small country farm made up part of the dowry of Calandrino’s... (full context)
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Calandrino plans to have the pig salted, then bring it back to his family in Florence.... (full context)
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When his friends take him out and pay for drinks, Calandrino gets very drunk, forgetting to close the door when he stumbles home. This allows Buffalmacco... (full context)
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Calandrino gives Bruno money for the supplies. In Florence, he buys a pound of regular ginger... (full context)
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The next morning, Bruno and Buffalmacco bring the wine and candies to Calandrino and his neighbors. Explaining that Calandrino’s pig was stolen and that they are going to... (full context)
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As Bruno hands out the sweets, he gives the marked dog ginger one to Calandrino, who immediately spits it out. Suggesting that he may have spit it out accidentally, Bruno... (full context)
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Calandrino protests his innocence to his companions, but Bruno claims that he’s heard that Calandrino has... (full context)
Day 9: Third Tale
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Filostrato will tell the Calandrino story he almost used on Day 8. When Calandrino’s aunt dies, she leaves him a... (full context)
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The next morning, Nello, Buffalmacco, and Bruno place themselves in Calandrino’s path, and when they say good morning, they each comment on how ill Calandrino looks.... (full context)
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Moderation and Excess Theme Icon
Simone da Villa arrives at Calandrino’s bedside, takes his pulse, and declares that he is pregnant. Howling with dismay, Calandrino complains... (full context)
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Simone da Villa tells Calandrino that the pregnancy can be cured, although the treatment is pricy. Terrified at the prospect... (full context)
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Calandrino takes the medicine as directed, and after three days, Simone da Villa declares him restored.... (full context)
Day 9: Fifth Tale
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Fiammetta returns to the consistently entertaining subject of Calandrino for her next tale. When Niccolò Cornacchini builds a mansion in the country, he commissions... (full context)
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...a prostitute employed by a Florentine pimp, she is pretty, polite, and well-spoken. One day, Calandrino encounters her at the well. While she stares at his strange appearance, he mistakes attention... (full context)
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When Calandrino wanders off in search of Niccolosa, Bruno tells Buffalmacco and Nello about his crush and... (full context)
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To make a long story short, Calandrino neglects his work in favor of wooing Niccolosa, Niccolosa encourages him, and Bruno acts as... (full context)
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Bruno, having made the scroll, tells Calandrino that if he touches Niccolosa with it, she will do whatever he wants. Bruno suggests... (full context)
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In the barn, Niccolosa pushes Calandrino to the ground and then sits astride him, pinning his arms, while Bruno, Buffalmacco, and... (full context)