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What was the Bubonic Plague?
-The Bubonic Plague, or Black Death, was one of the most deadly epidemics the world has ever seen
-The plague was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis
-One of the earliest acknowledgments of the disease seems to be from Thucydides in 430 BC
-An epidemic is believed to have occurred in Constantinople in 1334
-It is believed the bubonic plague was first recognized in Europe in 1347 when a group of Genoese ships docked in Messina after traveling through the Black Sea
-However, most of the passengers were dead and those who escaped death were experiencing extreme fever-like symptoms and overwhelmed with pain
-There were also black boils (bumps) on the passengers that released blood and puss, giving the disease its name
-Over the next few years, the plague would be responsible for the death of over 20 million Europeans, 33% of the continents' total population
-On a global scale, the plague took the lives of over 75 million people, as suggested by the fact that the population dropped from 450 million to a shocking 350-375 million
Shakespeare and The Bubonic Plague
-Shakespeare was extremely terrified of the plague, as anyone would be
-The plague killed many of Shakespeare's family members (3 sisters, brother and grandchildren)
-Many say the plague is what killed his beloved only son, Hamnet
-He lost many colleagues and close friends
-He was unable to perform when the theatres shut down
-He suffered financially as his main source of income was from admission costs
Several of his famous works mention the plague including:
"Cymbeline"
"Merchant of Venice"
"All's Well that Ends Well"
Who was Shakespeare?
Spread of the Bubonic Plague
Born in 1564, William Shakespeare’s brilliant works have clearly stood the test of time and are still enjoyed by countless around the world. Being exposed to different forms of art from a very young age proved to have a lasting impact on him as suggested by the fact that he became an incredibly famed poet, actor, and playwright. Despite being married and having three children, Shakespeare left his hometown in Stratford, for London, with hopes of becoming rich and famous. By 1592, he was well-established as an actor and he later became a member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. By the time he retired, Shakespeare wrote a total of thirty-seven plays and many of his works were published by two of his friends after his death in 1616.
-The streets of London lacked sanitation making it a prime location for bacteria
-The rivers were contaminated by human waste given there were no sewage systems, promoting the presence of fleas
-The disease lived on rodents and animals, which could be transmitted to humans by fleas
-The plague was extremely contagious and could be transferred through human contact
-In some cases, an infected person's breath could spread the disease
Understanding Shakespeare's Works
-Growing up in a time when death because of disease was the norm must have been extremely frightening for Shakespeare
-Witnessing the death of his sisters at a young age also conditioned him to have a great fear of the plague
-Living with fear, a powerful human emotion, may in fact be one of the reasons why Shakespeare's works are extremely heartfelt and display raw human feelings, as he himself felt these emotions
-Similarly, when family members whom he loved died because of the plague, he experienced the pain of loosing someone, which is a common theme in quite a few of his pieces
-In several of his works, Shakespeare also mentions death, so perhaps living in a time of the plague provided him a realistic view of death
Symptoms of the Bubonic Plague
A Change in Direction
-Painful swelling (buboes) on the neck, leg, armpit and groin
-Damaged lymph nodes
-High fever
-Delirium (disturbed state of mind)
-Nausea
-Chills
-Headaches
-Seizures
-Muscle pains
-Extreme desire to sleep (which could be fatal)
-Chance of death
Note: Symptoms were generally noticed 2-5 days after exposure to the bacterium
-During the time of the epidemic Shakespeare was unable to perform as an actor
-Yet he still needed to find some way to make money
-So when the theaters closed down in 1593, he began focusing on writing poems and plays
-He published his narrative poem "Venus and Adonis" in 1593
-The poem was an instant hit and he became quite well recognized as a writer
-He also earned a great amount of money off of the poem
-Using a portion of that money, he was able to purchase a spot in the Lord Chamberlain's Men acting group
-He stayed with group for a considerable amount of time which only helped him build his career
-So in the end, perhaps the plague did benefit Shakespeare in some way, as it played a pivotal role in him becoming a famed poet, playwright and recognized actor
Bibliography
Treatment
Literary Genius. "Bubonic Plague and Shakespeare."
<http://www.literarygenius.info/bubonic-plague-shakespeare.htm> March 7, 2017
MedicineNet.com. "Plague."
<http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=141316> March 7, 2017
Reference. "How did the Black Plague affect Shakespeare?"
<https://www.reference.com/art-literature/did-black-plague-affect-shakespeare-dda4d9c1ee47b1e1> March 7, 2017
Shakespeare Online. "Worst Diseases in Shakespeare's London."
<http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography/londondisease.html> March 7, 2017
The Guardian. "How Shakespeare’s great escape from the plague changed theatre."
<https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/24/shakespeares-great-escape-plague-1606--james-shapiro> March 7, 2017
William Shakespeare. "The Black Death Bubonic Plague during the Elizabethan Era."
<http://www.william-shakespeare.info/bubonic-black-plague-elizabethan-era.htm> March 7, 2017
At the time of the bubonic plague epidemic, neither victims nor physicians knew what caused the disease. For this reason, and a lack of technology, treatment was used only as a way to relieve the symptoms and not necessarily to prevent the spread of the disease. When it came to treatment, herbs were commonly used. Rose, lavender, sage, and bay were used to treat headaches. Wormwood, mint, and balm were used to relieve nausea and sickness. If one were to have trouble with their lungs, they would most likely drink a mixture of liquorice root and comfrey. Many also believed that consuming vinegar would kill the bacteria that caused the disease. Bloodletting was also a very common practice for which blood would be removed from one's body to isolate the bacteria. This thick blood would be a blackish green color and have a revolting smell.