The experiences of ordinary people during the plague, told through the eyes of a fourteenth century clergyman.
The Black Death of 1348-1350 wiped out around forty percent of medieval Europe. There are hundreds of books about this plague, but John Hatcher’s latest study offers something different. He tells his story from the viewpoint of an English clergyman in a country village.
How the Black Death Affected Ordinary People
The book’s author describes his study as a ‘docu-drama’ and recounting the events in this way is the perfect vehicle for this horrifying and fascinating subject matter. The reader views events from the perspective of an ordinary man, struggling to do his job of tending to his terrified parishioners, whilst wrestling with his own fears.
The Black Death is set in the village of Walsham, which was a real settlement in fourteenth century Suffolk. The parish records for his era have survived and are remarkably, which enabled the author to build up a detailed picture of how the plague affected the village, the number of people who died and the aftermath of the disease.
The Black Death begins well before the plague arrived in the village, and the author tells the story of an ordinary village with family ties, friendships and disputes which were normal in a small rural parish. This ordinary setting makes what is to follow much more hard-hitting.
The Arrival of the Black Death in England
John Hatcher skilfully builds up a sense of fear and tension as he describes how the village clergyman Master John attempts to quell the fears of his parishioners as it became obvious what damage the plague had done in mainland Europe. He demonstrates through Master John’s eyes, his struggles to keep his flock focused on prayers and devotions when many people were questioning whether God existed at all.
As the first victims die in the village, Master John attempts to provide the last rites and decent burials for all who are struck down. But with up to fifty people in a village dying per day, he is fighting impossible odds. He watches his friends and colleagues die and sees strangers stoned out of the town in fear they are carrying plague.
He watches in despair as his parishioners depend hopelessly on any hope of a cure, paying highly for religious relics and fake cures, anything which might buy them protection against the feared disease. He sees the dead lying untended, with no one daring to approach a corpse and watches as animals roam the streets, their owners either fled or victims of the plague.
The Aftermath of the Black Death
As the numbers of death in his district at last begin to fall, Master John reflects on the people who remain. Many who survived the plague have been left physically weakened, others are mentally distraught at the loss of all members of their family. Yet, he still sees greed and selfishness as survivors argue over the land and estates left by hundreds of deceased.
The harvest is left ungathered and there seems little hope for the future. Yet slowly, normal life resumes. Meetings are held, people return to church and the normal day to day activities are once again carried out. It will be Master John’s job to provide spiritual comfort to those whose lives will never be the same again. He is expected to answer questions when he is doubting his own fate.
Summary
This is a hard-hitting and thought-provoking book which stands out from the list of titles available on this subject. The author has taught the Black Death at university level for two decades and his depth of knowledge shows. He transmits the facts to the reader in an effortless way; the story is compelling and emotional and the plot is fast-paced, with well-drawn characters.
In his opening chapter, John Hatcher expresses the wish that his book will encourage readers to research the Black Death further. With its wealth of information and compelling storyline, this would be the perfect introduction to the subject. However, it also has much to attract even the most knowledgeable student of the period. Well-known facts are presented in a very different manner to a traditional history book. This is a book that readers will remember for a long time to come.
Publication Details
Hatcher, John The Black Death: A Personal History [Da Capo Press, 2008]
318 pages, ISBN 9780306815713
