Result of the Black Plague on the West seen through Malthus
Though the result of the Black Plague is initially deterioration, seen in Boccaccio's Decameron, the decline stimulates efforts at reform and renewal. In 1798 the English clergyman Thomas Malthus published the first edition of his influential Essay on the Principle of Population. In it, Malthus concludes that the plague does not end western culture. On the contrary, the plague allows it to flourish and ensures its survival. Boccaccio provides a wealth of information about the plague in his Decameron. The book is set in 1338, the year the plague struck Florence. Seven women and three men flee the plague in the city for the safety of a country villa. On their ten-day journey to the villa, each of the travelers entertains the others with a story. The result is a set of one hundred tales framed within the larger story of the travelers' journey. Boccaccio writes realistically and lyrically of the horror of the plague. He allows each of his characters a distinct voice to tell stories of charm, sadness, bawdiness, mystery, and drama. The plague and the death resulting from it are two major motifs in the Decameron. It can be argued that the Black Plague of 1338 and 1339 was the most devastating natural disaster to ever strike the
. . .
Some common words found in the essay are:
Navarre French, Mediterranean Sea, Black Plague, Black Death, Middle Ages, Golden Horde, Florence Seven, Nature Mater, England Italy, Population Malthus, black plague, standard living, malthusian deadlock, middle ages, thirteenth century, malthus concludes, population malthus, labor shortage, plague struck, country villa,
Approximate Word count = 1946
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
