Marisa Dika K.

0811112011
History of England

Black Death
1.a

2.

1.b Insert from the first picture:

The Black Death was an ironic disater happened in Western Europe in 1348 up to in
the earliest of 1350. This was caused by a plague which killed 30% - 60% of the population in
Western Europe, including Britain as one of the victim area. The plague was known as
Bubonic plague, had huge impact to economic, social, and religion aspect.
The term of Black Death was influenced by Bubonic plague that attacked the people.
Bubonic plague was brought by a virus named yesrinia pestis and caused black spot on the
skin. In my opinion, thats why Black Death derived from the symptom of Bubonic plague
that makes black spot and it killed people almost in three days.
Both of the pictures (1.a and 2) above, describe the condition of the people along
suffering Bubonic plague. On the first picture there are two men who are lying on the bed and
beside them there is a priest. From picture 1.b, we can see hows the man suffers the black
spot on his skin. His face expresses the submission to the fate facing the death in front of him.
His hand looks scattered showing his powerless to do daily activities. In other hand, the man

who stands up beside them is a priest. The position of the priest seems like go leave for them
and he even doesnt care about the sufferer. As we know that at that time, church has multiple
role and function for the society (Britain). Not only as the leader of the religion, but also it
function as the center of knowledge and medical. All people in Britain give their greatest
expectation to the church to solve and find a medicine, so that they can cure out from the
plague. In fact, reality is not done as the expectation. The church cant find the medicine and
the way to cure that virus which causes the plague. They close the door when people come to
them and dont accept the sufferers.
Death is commonly symbolized by skeleton that describes on the second picture. At
the first time I saw this picture, it felt so strange and horror when a group of skeleton is
dancing above the others. Dancing and smiling show the contrast condition between the death
and both of those human activities. In my opinion, mourn and gloomy atmosphere come up
from the picture. The picture try to draw the situation in the suffer area which the people was
died because of the plague. The town was dark and there were no human activities. The
Bubonic killed rapidly almost just three days, so that everywhere we can find corps and
people dying. I think that almost in all religion stated that after human being was died, they
will feel nothing or even all the ilness is gone. They will be free from all burden when they
still alive. It can infer that beside we call it as Black Death; it can be called the death town.