The Plague Dbq Essay

a) What explanation, if any, did di Tura offer for the terrible events he described in document 11-2?

In the document, it was clear that no one knew what caused the plague or how it was spread. Aside from saying he thought that medicine seemed to accelerate the process of dying, the people had no idea what was happening or why it was; to them, this seemed like the end of the world. When people are afraid and have little to no hope left, they do unimaginable things, such as some of the terrible acts described in the document (like refusing to bury the dead). With the majority of the city dead, it fell the shambles. Di Tura says, “No one controls anything,” and, “Now, no one knows how to put their life back together.” The plague was the the single root of all these problems.

b) What signs of social breakdown did di Tura note? What do they suggest about the full extent of the social impact of the plague on late medieval life?

Those infected were sometimes abandoned by their own family members because their families were afraid of even breathing around them or seeing them. Burials were often denied, even if money was offered, for the same reason: the fear of catching the plague. It drove people to be selfish to the point that they wouldn’t help others, not even their own families or the people who had nothing left. Although people seemed selfish about their lives, they became less materialistic. When citizens fled the city, they left their money, their jewels, and even sometimes entire farms. After the plague had pretty much wiped away, there wasn’t as much emphasis on social class or wealth. Di Tura said, “Everyone appeared to be rich because they had