The Decameron, a period soap opera created by Kathleen Jordan and Jenji Kohan, has been purchased by Netflix

Netflix has just picked up the period soap drama The Decameron from Kathleen Jordan and Jenji Kohan, following a screening of the pilot episode at Sundance. The series is based on the Italian Renaissance novel by Giovanni Boccaccio, which tells 10 stories from around 1194. It was first published in Europe in 1471. “The Decameron is a remarkable, visceral, and brutally honest look at love and war, power and passion in an extraordinary time in history,” said Jordan in a statement.

Introduction of The Decameron

The Decameron, an Italian comedy written by Giovanni Boccaccio in 1353, is a collection of five stories told by the young and old women who live in his house. There are many myths and rumors about this classic novel that you might have heard or even read. It has been translated into over 70 languages, had more than 500 publishers, and been a favorite for every generation of readers since it was published. The story tells about life during the Black Plague in Florence from 1300 to 1349. The novel is told from the perspective of a Florentine noblewoman which makes it different than other novels at that time. Boccaccio’s novel relates to the tradition of medieval life, especially women’s lives. Not only did he write an interesting story, but it also was filled with powerful morals and ethics. The Decameron takes place in the Middle Ages when aristocrats were living in Florence, which later became a republic.

Aristocrats were wealthy and usually didn’t work for a living. They had money but had to entertain each other or their time would have been wasted. Aristocrats would have big fancy parties, extravagant gifts, and wagers to keep their leisure time interesting. Everyday life was uneventful for them but they needed something to stimulate their minds and take a break from their daily routines.

Names of the characters in The Decameron

Ciappelletto
Dioneo
Neifile
Friar Cipolla
Lauretta
Panfilo

Story of The Decameron

During an age of transition for Italy, a nobleman named Boccaccio begins compiling stories from his contemporaries about forbidden relationships and love. This is considered to be the first modern novel to tell its story through multiple individual narrators over 100 days. The book is known as The Decameron or Ten Days’ Entertainment because it takes place during the tenth day of ten different weeks in the year 1300. This story consists of seven tales where each day has a short story with moral lessons. Included are many different types of people that fit into their parts with their struggles and triumph when they deal with love and life’s adversities.

The stories of The Decameron are written from the perspectives of seven young people who are sharing their experiences in ten days as they each experience something different. Each narration is told by a different individual and is all about love, hope, and sadness.

Netflix greenlights a soapy Black Death period drama based on The Decameron

The Netflix series is a period drama and a soapy reworking of Boccaccio’s 14th-century text in which ten young people reunite in Florence during the Black Death, and their stories weave together. It will be set in 1348, one year before the Black Death’s arrival. A new show has been announced by streaming service Netflix, set to air on its original programming platform as part of an “investment” of more than $100 million. Titled The Decameron, it is described as being about “ten young people who meet up in Florence during a time of plague and must band together when the city becomes overrun with violence.

Paramount Television is producing the show

“While the story is set in 14th century Italy, the show will be told with a distinctly modern sensibility,” according to a statement from Paramount Television. “The series is not just about the search for love, but also a search for truth and meaning.” The show will consist of 10 episodes and mark the first new project for Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters since re-teaming with ABC Studios via an overall deal there. Fazekas and Butters are currently executive producers/showrunners of ABC’s top drama The Rookie starring Nathan Fillion.

So, what do you think about The Decameron?