The Effects Of Plague On The People Of Florence - 938 Words

The Bubonic Plague took the lives of many individuals in the heart of Florence. Its reign affected â€Å"not just that of men and women†¦but even sentient animals† (Stefani). While the plague only lasted a mere six months, from March 1348 – September 1348, it is a piece of time that society should forever acknowledge and learn from. Much of the significant information from the Bubonic plague are unbeknownst to people today, even though it possesses such an importance aspect in our history. Therefore, in this essay, I will discuss the effects the plague had on the people of Florence, and how the appearance of this plague brought about short and long term historical change what we see today. There were two types of effects that impacted the people of Florence; physical and mental. Physically, the plague’s effects would more often than not begin â€Å"with swellings in the groin and armpit† (Boccaccio). The swelling was reported to range in various diffe rent sizes, and was given a more local term known as, â€Å"gavaccioli† (Baccaccio). Sighting of a gavaccioli naturally meant that the plague had begun to spread to every part of an individual’s body, and meant that death was imminent. Other symptoms associated with the plague are â€Å"sudden fever; spitting blood and saliva† (Stefani), and anyone who got to the point of spitting blood rarely ever survived. The sickness physically effected majority of civilization in Florence and resulted in vast amounts of death throughout. While the plagueShow MoreRelatedThe Plague Of The Century1184 Words   |  5 PagesGiovanni Boccaccio was a writer from Italy that wrote during the destruction of Florence caused by the plague during the 1340s. His accounts show the multiple horrendous sights he experienced that were not only occurring in Florence, but all across Europe. From his novel, Boccaccio is able to illustrate why the plague caused a large amount of civil unres t and chaos among society. The details from his account allows a first person perspective for anyone trying to place themselves 600 years backRead MoreEurope and the Black Death Essay1541 Words   |  7 Pagesdisaster. Historians estimated that this unidentifiable disease killed â€Å"more than 20 million people in Europe–almost one-third of the continent’s population,† by the 1350’s (Black Death). Now in today’s society scientists classify the unidentifiable disease as the bubonic plague, also referred to as the Black Death. During fourteenth century European-society, there was no logical medical knowledge; instead, people resorted to supplementary explanations, such as God punishing misbehaving religious groupsRead MoreThe Black Death And The Bubonic Plague892 Words   |  4 PagesDeath or the bubonic plague was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people and peaking in Europe in the years 1346–53. The black death first appeared in Europe in 1347 in Sicily, the disease was most likely brought to Europe on a ship that had been trading on the black sea. The black plague was carried by flea-infested rodents and spread rapidly. Almost half of Europe was killed by the bubonic plague. So much death couldRead More The Black Death Essay1179 Words   |  5 Pages A plague is a bacterial infection that can take on more than one form. One of the greatest plagues that have stricken mankind throughout history was the Black Death. The Black Death was the outbreak of the bubonic plague that struck Europe and the Mediterranean area between 1347 and 1351. This plague was the most severe plague that hit the earth because of its origin (the spread), the symptoms, and the effects of the plague. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Scientists and historians are still unsureRead MoreCauses And Effects Of The Black Death1010 Words   |  5 Pages The Black Death was a catastrophic plague that struck Europe in the mid 14th century. This plague killed between 30 and 50% of the population in the places it struck leading many to believe this had been a punishment from God. The drop in population caused by the black death left excess wealth which would lead to changes in the social hierarchy and European society in general. The black death caused a severe drop in population and devastated the land leaving excess wealth for thoseRead MoreThe Impacts of Boccaccios Writing Style on the Tone of Decameron1609 Words   |  6 Pagesof the book itself - the Black Plague, which ravaged Europe around the time of the books setting and publication - plays a somber but vital role in this important work. The importance of the plague to the story is no less evident than in the introduction, which demonstrates the awesome power of the sickness. Boccaccios account of the plague during the time it hit Florence is often compared to real accounts and additional sources of information about the Black Plague, but it is often left wantingRead MoreThe Decameron Was A Collection Of Bawdy And Serious Tales Written By Boccaccio959 Words   |  4 Pageslikely born in Florence or Certaldo and was the illegitimate son of a wealthy Florentine merchant, Bocacino di Chellino. As a youth he was trained to follow in his father s business but he eventually chose instead to study canon law and subsequently pursued the arts. It is a combination of Greek words for ten and day. According to Frankforter, the Decameron is a fictive record of a hundred stories that ten Florentine men and women told to entertain themselves while they hid from the plague in the comfortRead MoreThe Artistic Developments Of The Early Renaissance Period2091 Words   |  9 PagesTo what extent were the artistic developments of the early Renaissance period reflective of the cultural changes brought about by the Black Death. It is without a doubt the Black plague that spread throughout Europe from 1348 had large scale social and economic effects, the catastrophic horrors and disbelief that individuals lived and died through interrupted and disordered existing customary traditions. Synchronously the rise from the Medieval ages to the early Renaissance art period was witnessRead MoreThe Decameron Was A Collection Of Bawdy And Serious Tales Written By Boccaccio1006 Words   |  5 Pageslikely born in Florence or Certaldo and was the illegitimate son of a wealthy Florentine merchant, Bocacino di Chellino. As a youth he was trained to follow in his father s business but he eventually chose instead to study canon law and subsequently pursued the arts. It is a combination of Greek words for ten and day. According to Frankforter, the Decameron is a fictive record of a hundred stories that ten Florentine men and women told to entertain themselves while they hid from the plague in the comfortRead MoreThe Black Death And Its Effects On Society843 Words   |  4 Pagesone of the deadliest infectious diseases in history. This fatal and rapidly spreading disease horrified people of its time. The disastrous natural catastrophe was only compounded with other setbacks in fourteenth century Europe. Those set backs include, warfare, religious turmoil and peasant unrest. Also known as the bubonic plague, it struck Europe in 1347 and killed close to 50 million people. This constituted as half of their population, killing entire families and destroying tribes and villages