Where is Worldbuilding Possible?

Reflecting on Boccaccio's Decameron

"And so, I offer here a succor and refuge for those who are in love" 𑁋 Boccaccio, Decameron pp4

The frames between real life, the novellas, and the stories within the novellas become so extensive in Boccaccio’s Decameron, that they begin to bleed into each other. A story told by a member of the brigata can affect the rest of the group in real life, while the personal feelings of a storyteller can affect the story told. Further, with the interjections of the Narrator character, another dimension becomes a piece of the Decameron, one that straddles both the brigata and their novellas. The barriers between what is real and fiction often seem to blur, which seems strange considering that the brigata constantly make efforts to ensure that the line between their pastoral escape and diseased Central Italy remains strong.

Above: Frames of the Decameron. Image Credits: HumCore Shemek Lecture 1

Above: The Decameron, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1837

I distinctly remember the rigid practices that the brigata established, particularly those made by Pampinea when she was voted Queen. After relegating duties to the troup’s servants, Pampinea instructs them that, “‘if they wish to stay in our good graces, we desire and command all of the servants to take care that, no matter what they see or hear in their comings and goings, no news from the outside world should ever reach us unless that news is good’” (17). Other members of the brigata make remarks that further structure their escapist world; upon their arrival at the first castle, Dioneo asserts that the brigata should only devote themselves to fun, and that if they mention their troubles, he will return to Florence (16). Later, Pampinea even imposes limits to the kind of fun the brigata should have, advising that the group avoid playing games that may incite competition. All this to say, not only has the brigata constructed their own bucolic, unspoiled world, but also a firm wall around it, a boundary enforced by the silence and labor of the servants, and the agreement of all members not to broach the border.

However, the ultimate reason this world- and boundary-building stood out to me was that it seemed contradictory to the fluidity of the frames within the Decameron. As mentioned before, the narrator is himself a fictional character, and sometimes there are even stories told by characters in the novellas. It’s easy for us, as readers, to pass through these different worlds seamlessly, and be comfortable in any of them.The experience of reading the Decameron and traversing through its different realms could not be any more different than that of the single highly static, guarded world of the brigata. However, remembering that the Decameron’s intended audience was meant to be Italian ladies, who in that age were confined to their homes out of decency, the freedom to browse through worlds becomes even more meaningful.

This unrestriction may not be as novel to modern audiences though, be it from the abundance of media or a kind of freedom to wander that we (hopefully) have that the Italian noblewomen didn’t. On a daily basis, we imbibe stories on virtual and physical levels, sometimes explicitly and other times by connecting hidden implicit cues. Spaces themselves tell stories, or at least present a kind of mode of being. Of course at UCI, a large college campus, many spaces are reserved for comfort and study, but what I find quite special are the spaces meant for specific people on campus. These places allow space for personalization, where one can see oneself reflected in a large communal campus.

Personally, I have found that one of my preferred spots on campus has been the LGBT Resource Center, a small space awash with color, personal art, LGBTQ literature and movies, and posters and flags supporting members and allies of the LGBTQ community. Something I find particularly interesting is that in the Rainbow Room, the Center’s main hangout space, the words “Welcome Home” hang on the wall/ For some LGBTQ students, their homes may not have been a safe space for them to express their identity, so by saying, “Welcome Home”, the Center invites students to express who they are freely in a space made expressly for their needs. I wouldn’t call this space “pastoral”, because the issues of the outside world are acknowledged and discussed, but it does share similarities with the brigata’s escapist world in its focus on the humanization and happiness of its members, and the multiple opportunities for play offered. It is sad to think that it may be a “world apart” but the Center’s power also comes from the events and volunteering efforts it makes to expand its safe space, and the hopeful idea of the future it brings.

Above: The central hang-out space in the LGBTQRC. Image Credits: Brianna Smith

Above: Posters celebrating queer people of color and Bi, Pan, and Fluid individuals. Image credits: UCI LGBTQRC Instagram.

This focus on the future is prevalent throughout UCI. Because attending college is considered a coming of age experience in our culture, many of the spaces on our campus focus on the potential of the students. This can be seen in the advertisements, whether from physical flyers or digital emails, offering opportunities to students. Career fairs, a somewhat regular occurrence, also show this focus on potential. In this way, the campus could be considered a liminal space, a space of rapid growth in its inhabitants. Resources like the Student Success Initiative and the Division of Career Pathways, focused on what students can achieve once they graduate, reinforce this idea of transition.

Above: Science Library Sculptures. Image credit: parkerlab.bio.uci

This coming of age trope, however, in relation to college also paints it as a sentimental, merry place. It’s not uncommon to hear fictional characters in the media sigh with nostalgia for their college days, or for people in real life to promise much fun and growth in a student’s four years. As such, UCI’s campus also provides many places for reflection, for slowing down. Take the sculptures behind the Science Library, the sense-focused green space in front of the Claire Trevor School of Arts; both are spaces meant to be approached slowly, to encourage personal interpretation and self-centering.

Above: Claire Trevor School of the Arts Pavilion. Image credits: Brianna Smith

Works Cited:

Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron (Norton Critical Edition). Edited and translated by Wayne A. Rebhorn. Norton, 2016. ISBN 9780393935622.

Shemek, Deanna. “Lecture 1: The Decameron's World in a Frame.” Humanities Core Lecture, 19 October 2022, University of California, Irvine. Lecture.

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