Wrightson’s Methodology: Microhistory with a Focal Point It was through drawing particular attention towards the records left behind by a single individual of Newcastle-upon-Tyne that historian Keith Wrightson successfully managed to largely reconstruct a significant portion of microhistory while simultaneously continuing to maintain a central thread of focus. It is this central focus upon the records left behind by one Ralph Tailor that allowed Wrightson to begin his research in the first place, finally resulting in his well-written book aptly titled Ralph Tailor’s Summer: A Scrivener, His City and the Plague. Wrightson’s methodology allows for the evidence remaining from this particular period of history to be fully analysed, discussed and …show more content…
He also demonstrates the validity of constructing a microhistory around a particular focus upon an individual – and this deviates from most commonplace forms of writing microhistories. Throughout his book, Wrightson manages to challenge the idea of the Plague being truly as bleak as most of the pessimistic writings of the times suggest it as being. A complete abandonment of camaraderie, spurred by the fear inspired by the Plague, is often touted by such literature. Wrightson questions the validity of this vision of the Plague, at least of the one Ralph Tailor lived through. His conclusions are much less severe, and offer a brighter alternative than the one predominantly suggested – of a people, in some cases, united in a time of great need, and he cites several examples to support this. As has been previously discussed, a methodology involving the writing of a microhistory allows for many advantages when it comes to viewing evidence from a new perspective. To name one, it allows for readers to properly engage in an understanding of the everyday lives of the people involved by viewing them from a closer or more comprehensive perspective. Not only this, but in Wrightson’s case, it has allowed him to proceed from looking at a single individual to the city that surrounds that individual. As Rab Houston comments, “[Wrightson’s] approach is scholarly yet at the same time imaginative and deeply sympathetic”. Wrightson makes a bold yet effective approach with this work in many respects. This methodology’s usefulness and worth, then, cannot be underestimated, and is doubtlessly of great
The book jumps to a distressing story about Peter Los in 1970 in West Germany who became ill due to smallpox. After ten days he was hospitalized but medical staff did not realize he had smallpox, which is highly contagious. Preston gives vivid descriptions of the disease and how it ravages the body. Los survived his illness, but caused an epidemic that killed many others that had become exposed to him. “Today, the people who plan for a smallpox emergency can’t get the image of the Meschede hospital out of their minds.
The book, The Ghost Map, tells the story of the cholera outbreak that took place in England during the medieval era. During this time, London became popular, causing it to become one of the most populous urban cities in England. However, it suffered from overcrowding, a large lower class, and little health regulations. As a result, living conditions and water supply were not the cleanest, and many died from the disease cholera. Though this epidemic led to many deaths/illnesses during it’s time, it has proven to be helpful and important to public health today. Some public health advancements that have occurred as a result include healthier, cleaner, and longer lives lived.
Blackbird's book, like many similar autoethnographic texts, is a combination of autobiography, history, ethnography, and polemic. He opens with a conventional reference to inaccuracy in current histories. In the course of correcting the record he relates the story, preserved by elders of his nation, of a smallpox epidemic during the height of the French and Indian War, about 1757. Blackbird's story is unique because of the unusual disease vector.
Kira L. S. Newman, “Shutt Up: Bubonic Plague and Quarantine in Early Modern England,” Journal of Social History, 3, (2012): 809-834
This book follows an esteemed doctor and a local clergyman who, together, are the heart of an investigation to solve the mystery of the cholera epidemic. In 1854 London was ravaged by a terrible outbreak of cholera, where within the span of mere weeks over five hundred people in the Soho district died. London, at the time, was a city of around two and a half million people, all crammed into a small area with no system for sewage removal. With overflowing cesspools, improper drainage of all the human and animal waste, and no system for guaranteed clean water, the people of London were in a bad state. They were essentially dumping all of their feces into their drinking water supply, a perfect environment for cholera to thrive.
Through this essay I plan to analyse 3 short stories from Tim Winton’s book ‘The Turning’. The 3 short stories I have chosen are long, clear view, Immunity and damaged goods, through these short stories I will be focusing on the themes for each of them and seeing if these stories in some way link together through theme or story.
The aim of micro-history is to utilize a micro-story as a means of representing a larger macro-culture. Micro-history focuses on a single individual or region, often representing peasant culture. In The Return of Martin Guerre, care is taken to make them accessible, while not directly focusing on the macro characteristics encompassing the events of the times. The goal is to draw the reader into the intended focus, whether it is to the community or individual.
The perspective the author gives to this book is a unique. Smallpox according to most histories does not play the role of a major character, but a minor part. In my opinion smallpox was a major factor during the Revolutionary War, and Feen focuses on several key areas which allows us to see just how bad this epidemic was and the grip it had not only on the soldiers, but the colonist as well.
Since Plagues and Peoples covers several subjects of knowledge, he helps the reader understand key concepts by fully explaining parasitism and its dependence on humans and animals. People in the field of history, which make up a majority of this books audience, would need more insight into epidemiology to grasp its key concepts. It would not be likely for a historian to be knowledgeable in a branch of medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in populations.
No other epidemic reaches the level of the Black Death which took place from 1348 to 1350. The epidemic, better regarded as a pandemic, shook Europe, Asia, and North Africa; therefore it deems as the one of the most devastating events in world history. In The Black Death: The Great Mortality of 1348-1350, John Aberth, compiles primary sources in order to examine the origins and outcomes of this deadly disease. The author, a history professor and associate academic dean at Vermont’s Castleton State College, specializes in medieval history and the Black Death. He wrote the book in order to provide multiple perspectives of the plague’s impact. Primarily, pathogens started the whole phenomenon; however, geological, economic, and social conditions
“The Plague” is a novel weaved with beautiful and stylistic devices used by Albert Camus to portray and clarify the message and theme of every passage. This passage specifically has used diction, pathetic fallacy, metaphors, a turning point and irony to portray the message, which was despite it being All Souls' Day, the plague had hardened the hearts of the families of the victims and incidences, and thus did not attend All Souls' Day due to them thinking profoundly about them. Thus helping the reader understand the overall message of the book on how much the townspeople were suffering from the plague.
Camus’ book “The Plague” demonstrates the fight between a community and the bubonic plague. Camus creates a range of characters that deal with the plague in their own individual ways; the only hero among them is Jean Tarrou. Dr. Bernard Rieux comes close to being a hero but he falls short of this by the fact that he is doing his duty as a doctor, which is expected of him. Camus uses Jean Tarrou to speak to the reader on how to heroically deal with death. Jean Tarrou is also used as an example of heroes who get crushed by fate for rebellion.
Gottfried, Robert S. The Black Death: Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe. New York:
With imagery revealing the poor straits and desperation of the peasant class of France, Dickens influences the reader to pity them. He writes, “The cloud settled on Saint Antoine, which a momentary gleam had driven from his sacred countenance, the darkness of it was heavy—cold, dirt, sickness, ignorance, want were the lords waiting on the saintly presence—nobles of great power all of them; but most especially the last” (Dickens 22). Through hunger, want, etc. being personified and compared to nobles through language such as “nobles” and “lords”, Dickens shows the extent of the suffering of the peasants, their deserving to be pitied, and the human nobles’ apathy towards them. The peasants of Saint Antoine suffer in the 1770s, and the town’s name is made into a play on words with “saintly presence”, with the cloud of cold, dirt, sickness, ignorance, and want looming forming the imagery of irony. Another description of the peasants’ plight is revealed in the quote saying, “Ploughed into every furrow of age and coming up afresh, was the sign Hunger. It was prevalent everywhere...Hunger was the inscription on th...
Cowie, Leonard W. “Plague and Fire London 1665-1666.” East Sussex: Wayland Publishers, 1970. 56-63. Print.