Boccaccio and the Greek Romances

Abstract

OHN BUCHAN once wrote that modern novel, like its next of kin, fairy tale, is characterized by fact that it deals with the survival of unfittest.l Comical as statement may sound fact remains that it also characterizes bulk of postclassical and mediaeval romance. These latter types were always known for frightening mishaps that regularly befell their undeserving heroes. An awareness, however, of hyperbole which is implicit in the survival of unfittest is not new: Greek professionals in genre of romance had it, and so many of their descendants in late Middle Ages. R. T. Rattenbury thinks that Tatius did not exactly parody his predecessors but by attempting to humanize romance... showed up absurdities of usual stories.2 Chaucer in his of Sir Thopas something similar. Yet author who parodied his predecessors and added to them as well was Boccaccio. He dissected traditional motif of victimization in a way that would be unthinkable either to Tatius or to Chaucer, and reached into very core of human existence which speaks never so eloquently as when joking, crying, or loving. Panfilo tells seventh story of second day in Decameron and this is story in which dissection and sounding take place. In summary tale runs as follows: Alatiel, daughter of Sultan of Babylon, is sent to a distant land in Western Mediterranean in order to marry its king. The girl embarks on a ship in Alexandria, but does not reach her desti-