Building Background

The Diary Pepys began his diary on New Year’s Day 1660 at the age of twenty-seven and ended it on May 31, 1669, because of failing eyesight. During these years he recorded vivid eyewitness accounts of such events as the restoration of King Charles II, the plague’s devastating effects on London in 1665, the fire that ravaged the city in 1666, and England’s wars with the Dutch. He also recorded intimate details about his personal experiences, safeguarding his privacy by writing his entries in a combination of little-known shorthand and secret code.

Restoration!On May 26, 1660, Charles II returned to England after an eight-year exile. He was escorted home by Sir Edward Montagu, who brought along Samuel Pepys. The coronation of King Charles II on April 23, 1661, marked the restoration of the monarchy to England and a return to a more pleasure-oriented way of life. In the first diary entry that follows, Pepys recounts the colorful events of that day.

The Great London FireOn Monday, September 2, 1666, a fire broke out in the Pudding Lane residence of the king’s baker. Violent winds soon spread the flames. By the time the fire was extinguished, it had raged for four days, and had destroyed four-fifths of the central city: thirteen thousand homes and eighty-seven churches, including St. Paul’s Cathedral. The second diary entry that follows contains Pepys’s account of the Great Fire.

ResearchAt the coronation of Charles II, Pepys witnessed the beginning of what came to be known as the Restoration period. Use library or Internet resources to find out more about the cultural and political climate of this period. Share your findings with your classmates in a brief oral report.

Literary analysis: diary

A diaryis a daily account of a writer’s own thoughts, experiences, and feelings. Diaries are primary sources,or materials created by people who were present at events either as participants or as observers. Most diaries are private and not intended to be shared. However, some have been published because they provide valuable insights into historical events and eras. One example is The Diary of Samuel Pepys, which paints a fascinating portrait of English life in the early 1660s, the time of the Restoration. In the following passage, notice how Pepys conveys details about his household even as he reports on a major disaster of the period, the Great Fire of London:

Some of our maids sitting up late last night to get things ready against our feast today, Jane called us up, about 3 in the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw in the city.

As you read the selection, pay attention to how Pepys discusses matters of both personal and public concern.

Reading skill: connect to history

Eyewitness accounts like Pepys’s diary often stir feelings of curiosity and excitement in readers. You may find yourself comparing the historical events retold in this selection to experiences you have read about, heard about, or known firsthand. You may even imagine yourself in Pepys’s position, listening to the stories of Charles II or escaping the Great Fire. These responses are ways of connectingwith what you are reading. As you read the selection, make connections between Pepys’s world and your own.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 803