The Decameron
by Giovanni Boccaccio
Censorship Status
Banned in Australia, USA
Reason: Sexual content, criticism of clergy
Written during the Black Death, this collection of tales was so scandalous that it's been banned for nearly 700 years. Boccaccio's characters don't just tell stories—they expose the hypocrisy of medieval society with gleeful abandon. Priests seduce nuns, nobles act like fools, and clever women outsmart everyone. The Church banned it not just for its sexual content, but for its devastating satire of corrupt clergy who preached virtue while practicing vice. Each tale peels back the moral pretenses of its era, revealing human nature in all its messy, contradictory glory. The fact that a 14th-century book still makes authorities nervous proves that some truths are timeless.
Why The Decameron Was Banned
Censorship Concerns
This work challenged religious doctrine or contained content deemed blasphemous by religious authorities.
Specifically, The Decameron was targeted for: Sexual content, criticism of clergy. The book's themes and content were deemed threatening to the social, political, or religious order in multiple countries.
Why Read The Decameron Today?
- ✓ Historical Significance: Understand why this book was considered dangerous enough to ban.
- ✓ Intellectual Freedom: Support the right to read diverse perspectives and challenging ideas.
- ✓ Critical Thinking: Engage with ideas that authorities didn't want people to consider.
- ✓ Cultural Understanding: Gain insight into the fears and concerns of different societies and eras.
Other Banned Books You Might Like
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by Toni Morrison
This Nobel Prize winner's devastating novel about a Black girl who wishes for blue eyes has been restored in Florida after court challenges but remains targeted by Republican school boards. Morrison's unflinching examination of how racism and beauty standards destroy Black children's self-worth continues to make conservatives uncomfortable with America's racist history.
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
This Pulitzer Prize winner has been removed from required reading lists by progressive school districts in California, Minnesota, and Mississippi. Left-leaning educators argue that despite its anti-racist message, the book centers white characters in Black stories and its frequent use of the N-word can be harmful to Black students. Unlike Republican bans, these removals come from a desire to de-center whiteness in discussions of racism.
Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck
Steinbeck's Depression-era classic has been removed from multiple progressive school districts including in California and Washington for its use of racial slurs and problematic depictions of Black characters. Progressive educators argue that while historically important, the book's language can cause harm to students of color and its portrayal of disability is outdated.
Don't Let This Story Be Silenced
Support intellectual freedom by reading the books that challenged the powerful. Get your copy of The Decameron today and discover why it's still being banned.
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