Effects Of the Plague essays

Effects Of the Plague essays In October 1347 several merchant ship returned to Sicily carrying more than just the usual goods. Aboard their ships was the plague. Several men were already infected with the plague and as soon as they stepped foot off the ship it spread like wildfire. Traveling through all of Europe the plague wiped out one third of Europes population in a mere five years. The plague did not disappear until the 1600s, even then people still feared the Black Death. With this epidemic also came change in every aspect of life. During the time of the plague people had no idea what to do. Some thought that barring their doors and staying away from all other people could protect them from the plague. Others thought that moving to the county, away from civilization, would protect them. None of these ideas worked unfortunately. People with the plague were left to die and people who didnt have the plague stayed away from all other people. This separation made living impossible, which caused the plague to flourish. When the worst was over and people started to come back together, things were not the same. People still feared the plague and were a little leery to return to normal living. Eventually, the survivors came out of their holes and tried to move on. One survivor of the Black Death was Geoffrey Chaucer. In Chaucers Canterbury Tales he writes of pilgrims who all take their place in society. Most, if not all, of the pilgrims were created or affected by some aspect of the plague. Each pilgrim to ld one story on the way to Canterbury. Their stories include such topics as the church, stratification, and business. Many religious leaders and churches believed that the plague was punishment for the sinful lives that the men and women of the time were leading. The clergy said to evade the plague you must ask for help from God and ask for forgiveness of your sins. However, the common people felt like the church had…