Task 1.6

Task 6.1 ¡V Essay

The purpose of this essay is to discuss how the medieval way of life shaped people¡¦s reactions to the Black Plague, also known as the Black Death. Educational standards, the influence of the church and the reliability of medical information affected peoples¡¦ reactions to this epidemic. The Black plague was a disease that, between 1347 and 1349 killed one third of the population of medieval Europe. The plague is thought to have originated in central Asia in 1340 and from there spread through trade routes all over the world.

The educational standards in medieval times varied according to the social standing of the person in question. The wealthy learnt religious teachings and languages such as Latin while the poor peasants were taught agricultural skills by their families. When the plague appeared, the general population could only use their superstitions and beliefs to explain the catastrophic disease...