Rinaldo d’Asti Character Analysis in The Decameron

Rinaldo d’Asti is the protagonist of Filostrato’s second tale (II, 2). He is a wealthy and devout merchant who places himself in the care of St. Julian (patron saint of travelers). He experiences fortune’s reversals when he is robbed on the road, then rescued by the Lady of Guiglielmo Fortress—who gives him food, shelter, and sexual favors—then set to rights when the thieves are apprehended and his property is returned.

Rinaldo d’Asti Quotes in The Decameron

The The Decameron quotes below are all either spoken by Rinaldo d’Asti or refer to Rinaldo d’Asti. 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:

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The whole company, men and ladies alike, listened with admiration to the adventures of Rinaldo d’Asti, commending his piety and giving thanks to God and Saint Julian, who had come to his rescue in the hour of his greatest need. Nor, moreover, was the lady considered to have acted foolishly (even though nobody openly said so) for the way she had accepted the blessing that God had left on her doorstep. And while everyone was busy talking, with half-suppressed mirth, about the pleasant night the lady had spent, Pampinea […] started planning what to say.

Related Characters: Pampinea, Filostrato, Rinaldo d’Asti, Lady of Guiglielmo Fortress

Page Number and Citation: 82-83

Explanation and Analysis:

Rinaldo d’Asti Character Timeline in The Decameron

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

...company is still laughing over Neifile’s story, Filomena commands Filostrato to tell the next tale. Rinaldo d’Asti is a traveling merchant who unfortunately falls into the company of three disguised highway... (full context)

At nightfall, the thieves attack Rinaldo, whose servant abandons him and runs to the nearby fortress town, Castel Guiglielmo. Rinaldo is... (full context)

...the last minute, she decides to enjoy the bath herself. Through the wall, she overhears Rinaldo’s loud prayers of complaint to God and St. Julian, and she sends her maid to... (full context)

Rinaldo is handsome, and the Lady is already in a romantic mood. To her eyes, Rinaldo... (full context)

First thing in the morning, the Lady gives Rinaldo some old clothes and money, secretly letting him out through the door. He enters the... (full context)

While everyone is laughing at Rinaldo’s good fortune (and the Lady’s!) Pampinea prepares to tell her tale, which will illustrate how... (full context)