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Building Background
The Black DeathThe plague epidemic first appeared in Europe in 1347, and by 1351 it had killed twenty-four million people—one-fourth of Europe’s population. It became known as the Black Death, because of the way victims appeared in the final stages of their illness. As the victims’ respiratory systems failed, their bodies turned dark purple and developed soft black swellings. Before the twentieth century, the causes of infectious diseases were unknown, encouraging supernatural explanations. The plague still exists, and small outbreaks have occurred as recently as 1994. Fortunately, scientists now know that the plague is caused by a type of bacteria spread by fleas on rats. Scientists have developed vaccines and antibiotics to combat any future outbreaks. Literary analysis: verisimilitude Unlike the diary of Samuel Pepys, Daniel Defoe’s A Journal of the Plague Year is a work of fiction. The novel portraysLondon during the summer of 1665, the darkest days of thecity’s bubonic plague epidemic. An innovative writer, Defoeincorporated details from mortality records, city maps, andother historical documents to help him achieve verisimilitude,or the appearance of reality. Presented as an eyewitnessaccount, the novel purposefully blurs the line between factand fiction. In this way, Defoe’s writing anticipates the realismand psychological depth of modern novels. As you read, noticehow the following conventions help make the selection seem-like an authentic report of the tragedy: • a first-person narrator • geographical names • numbers and statistics • precise details • dates and references to time Reading skill: draw conclusions The realism of A Journal of the Plague Year established it as one of the most shocking literary works of its day. Written nearly 300 years ago, the novel still elicits mixed responses of horror and sympathy from its readers. As you read the selection, use your own reactions and text clues to help you make inferences,or logical guesses, about the effects of the plague on London society. For example, you can infer that the epidemic caused a collapse of social customs, such as public mourning, from the following lines: London might well be said to be all in tears; the mourners did not go about the streets indeed, for nobody put on black or made a formal dress of mourning for their nearest friends. . . . Record your inferences in an organizer like the one shown. After reading the selection, you will use these notes to draw conclusions,or make general statements, about the tragedy.
Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1304
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