Introduction
Infectious diseases have struck Europe throughout history and have had devastating effects on the continent. The Bubonic plague often referred to as the Black Death, affected the social and cultural lives of most Europeans in the fourteenth century. The disease disrupted the normal running of activities, caused countless deaths, and left many hospitalized. Such detrimental effects of an infectious disease negatively impact people’s social and cultural interactions. In such circumstances, different community groups respond to the effects in different ways. For example, medics often try to give a medical angle to the cause and effects while the clergy offers a religious perspective to it.
Discussion
The Bubonic plague affected European social relations by limiting the freedom to gather and interact freely. It is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis and is reported to have killed close to two-thirds of the European population (Chessman). The disease spread like wildfire and hundreds of outbreaks were recorded in Europe (V2). It could be spread by mere body contact with an infected person. People fled in massive numbers from family and friends for fear of contracting the disease and the overwhelming number of deaths (Chessman). Society’s social relationships were affected since everyone kept their distance from each other. Different community groups had different perspectives on what caused the deadly disease. For instance, the clergy thought that it was a form of punishment from God for their failure to pray or the end of the world (Chessman). The plague spared no one and with no cure, fleeing for safety was the only preventive measure left. Consequently, people lost their social connections to death, while some fled never to be seen again.
The Bubonic plague had negative impacts on cultural practices for many Europeans. The Black Death outbreak greatly hampered religious practices and beliefs. Since Europe was largely religious, most of their activities were interrupted. The contagious disease caused the deaths of several clergymen leaving most churches without people to conduct masses (Olson). Jurists and common members of society believed that God was aggrieved by their sinful ways and that this was their deserved punishment. Desperate attempts to seek medication failed and everyone resorted to burning incense and offering sacraments (Olson). Some doctors even advised people to sniff flowers to ward off the stench and the evil spirits in the air (Olson). There was an increase in religious conflicts as Christians blamed the Jewish religious practices for what was happening (Olson). As a consequence, most of the Jews were persecuted and their towns were destroyed. However, the move to chase the Jews did not help much since that was not the real cause of the plague.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Bubonic plague goes down in history as Europe’s biggest endemic. The disease affected the continent socially, economically, and culturally in many ways. Many people fled from their homes and families in an attempt to escape the wrath of the plague. Everyone believed that the plague was caused by their sinful acts and that God was punishing them. People resorted to practicing more religious activities and beliefs to appease God. The Christians persecuted the Jews since they wrongly thought that the Jewish way of life was what angered God and brought the deadly state of misery. An endemic as big as the Black Death can have numerous effects that are detrimental to a nation or continent. If there are no proper mechanisms to contain it, people lose control of their social and cultural lives and become subject to the disease.
Works Cited
Chessman, Mikenzie. Bubonic Plague: Public Health Warnings from an Ancient Disease Bubonic Plague: Public Health Warnings from an Ancient Disease. Web.
Olson, Lisa. “Plague Discourse: Political, Religious, and Medical Publications in England, 1603–1666.” Dalspace Library, Web.