This work has 10 main narrators, 7 of them women, including Fiammetta & Lauretta

The Final Jeopardy category on Friday, May 9, 2025, was “Literary Narrators.” The clue presented to the contestants was:

“This work has 10 main narrators, 7 of them women, including Fiammetta & Lauretta.”

What is The Decameron?

This particular clue called for knowledge of classic European literature and narrative structure. “The Decameron,” written by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio in the 14th century, is a cornerstone of medieval literature. The work consists of one hundred tales told by ten characters over ten days, a structure that mirrors its Greek-derived title, meaning “ten days.”

The clue highlights the ten narrators—seven women and three men—who retreat to a countryside villa outside Florence to escape the Black Death. Among these storytellers are Fiammetta and Lauretta, both of whom are central to the framing narrative. Each day, a different member of the group is appointed as “king” or “queen,” dictating the theme of that day’s stories, which range from romantic and tragic to humorous and satirical.

The Role of the Narrators

Fiammetta and Lauretta are not just names among the cast; they represent Boccaccio’s emphasis on female voices and perspectives. This was a distinctive literary move at the time, offering women prominence in both dialogue and storytelling. The seven female narrators—Fiammetta, Lauretta, Pampinea, Filomena, Emilia, Elissa, and Neifile—are depicted as intelligent, witty, and well-spoken, contributing equally alongside the three male narrators—Dioneo, Panfilo, and Filostrato.

The equality and diversity in narration allowed Boccaccio to explore a wide spectrum of social issues and human experiences. Through these voices, the work delves into themes of love, morality, deception, and fortune, while reflecting the complexities of 14th-century life. This blend of perspectives is part of what has given The Decameron its lasting influence in world literature.

Context and Literary Significance

Written during the height of the Black Death in Europe, The Decameron begins with a somber introduction describing the effects of the plague in Florence. The ten young people decide to flee the city and tell each other stories as a form of distraction and moral reflection. The frame narrative provides continuity, while the individual tales offer a variety of tones and subjects.

Notably, Boccaccio’s decision to include such a strong contingent of women narrators was groundbreaking. It not only gave voice to women within the narrative, but also challenged the male-dominated literary conventions of his time. Scholars often cite this as an early example of proto-feminist literature, though the work remains grounded in the social norms of its period.

Influence on Later Works

The Decameron had a significant impact on the evolution of Western storytelling. Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, written several decades later, bears a clear resemblance in structure and theme, though set in England. The technique of using multiple narrators to present a mosaic of human experience became a common device in literature that followed.

The ten narrators of The Decameron serve more than just a structural purpose. They reflect a humanist worldview emerging in early Renaissance Italy, where individual voices and varied life experiences began to be appreciated in literary expression. This work remains a critical text for understanding the transition from medieval to modern literature.

A Smart Pick for Final Jeopardy

This clue required contestants to not only recall a specific literary work, but to understand its structure and character makeup. Knowing that The Decameron features ten narrators, mostly women—including Fiammetta and Lauretta—provided a solid anchor point for the correct response. For those familiar with world literature or Renaissance writing, it was a rewarding moment of recognition.

Jeopardy often leans into literary history for Final Jeopardy clues, and this one proved to be a well-crafted nod to one of literature’s most enduring narrative frameworks.