# Fra Rinaldo — The Decameron character guide

> Fra Rinaldo in The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Rinaldo, our Fra Rinaldo, Quoth Fra Rinaldo

**First appearance:** 0076-the-first-story

## Snapshot

A tall, engaging friar whose night of comfort with a lonely lady turns into a scramble for his habit when her husband returns.

## Who they are

Rinaldo is a well-spoken cleric who, robbed on the road, takes shelter with a lady whose noble lover has failed to appear — and is only too glad to fill the vacancy. His charm and quick tongue make him welcome at her fire, but the same ease that wins her bed leaves him naked and desperate when the husband arrives. His story sets the tone for the Decameron's running joke: wit and appetite outrunning the vows meant to restrain them.

## In the story

### [The Third Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/chapters/the-third-story)

A monk who uses his position and sophistry to seduce his gossip, then escapes discovery through a clever ruse.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/characters/fra_rinaldo
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_decameron_se/characters