The Concept of Natural Laws vs. Human Laws in the Decameron - Book Report/Review Example

"The reader quickly becomes aware, when reading the Decameron, that Boccaccio is working off some moral base in writing the stories which each of the storytellers tell The difficulty lies in finding what that moral base is, since it is certainly not the general morality of his time Arguably, the moral base of the Decameron is Nature. The storytellers strongly suggest this in several cases and from different points of view. Those who oppose themselves to the law of Nature are bound to failure and also perhaps to causing great harm.

" (Hastings) Therefore, there is an essential conflict between the concepts of natural laws and human laws in the Decameron and the author, Giovanni Boccaccio, emphasizes the importance and superiority of natural laws over human laws. In the essential conflict between the concepts of natural laws and human laws, the laws of nature outweigh the laws of humanity and the natural laws are the moral base of the Decameron. Giovanni Boccaccio presents a significant concept through the emphasis on natural laws as against the contemporary stress on human laws with regard to pleasure.

According to him, "Today the laws relating to pleasure are rather strict, more so than at that time, when they were very lax, not only for ladies of their age but even for older women; nor would I wish to give an opportunity to the envious, who are always ready to attack every praiseworthy life, to diminish in any way with their indecent talk the dignity of these worthy ladies. My dear ladies, you have often heard, as I have, how proper use of reason can do harm to no one. It is only natural for everyone born on this earth to sustain, preserve, and defend his own life to the best of his ability; this is a right so taken for granted that it has, at times, permitted men to kill each other without blame in order to defend their own lives.

" (Boccaccio, 15-16) The author supports the natural way of life as well as the natural laws of the world and he condemns the implementation of the laws of human creation, especially with regard to pleasure. Thus, he argues that the individuals who oppose the law of Nature can fall upon several failures in life and human laws can cause great harm to people. The natural instincts of human beings need to be completely supported by the laws they follow. In conclusion, there is an apparent conflict between the concepts of natural laws and human laws in the Decameron and Boccaccio is categorical about the importance and superiority of natural laws over human laws.