# The First Story explained — The Decameron

> Chapter companion for The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio.

## What happens

Master Ciappelletto, a notoriously wicked man, dupes a holy friar with a false confession on his deathbed, and after his death is mistakenly revered as a saint, illustrating how God may honor the purity of a suppliant's intent despite the unworthiness of the intercessor.

## Themes in this chapter

### Religion and Hypocrisy

Master Ciappelletto's false confession and the friar's gullibility highlight the hypocrisy and superficiality of religious practices.

### The Power of Storytelling

The story demonstrates how narrative can shape perception, as Ciappelletto's fabricated confession leads to his veneration as a saint.

## Character check-ins

### Master Ciappelletto

The central figure of the story, a wicked scrivener who falsely confesses to a friar and dies, later being mistaken for a saint.

### Dioneo

The narrator of the first story, who introduces the tale of Master Ciappelletto.

## Key lines

> It is a seemly thing, dearest ladies, that whatsoever a man doth, he give it beginning from the holy and admirable name of Him who is the maker of all things.

It is proper, dear ladies, that every action should begin with the holy name of God, the creator of all.

_Dioneo opens the story by emphasizing the importance of beginning with God's name._

> Master Ciappelletto dupeth a holy friar with a false confession and dieth; and having been in his lifetime the worst of men, he is, after his death, reputed a saint and called Saint Ciappelletto.

Master Ciappelletto deceives a friar with a fake confession and dies; though he was the worst of men, after death he is considered a saint.

_Summary of the plot: a wicked man's false confession leads to his mistaken sainthood._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters/the-first-story
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_decameron_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters