Book Review – The Death by Ananda Braxton-Smith

Youth Non-Fiction History of The Plague in Europe

Mar 24, 2009

Known by many names including The Plague, The Black Death and The Pestilence, the pneumonic and bubonic plague decimated communities for hundreds of years.

Part of The Drum series, The Death – The Horror of the Plague (Black Dog Books, 2009) by Ananda Braxton-Smith offers reader aged 10+ a comprehensive overview of the history of the plague in Europe, discussing not only the disease process but also the social and historical impact.

The Horror of the Plague

Beginning with evidence of illness decimating the population in China in 1331, Braxton-Smith offers a fascinating journey through history examining how the plague travelled around the globe, why it was more prevalent at different times and how it impacted communities physically, socially, economically and spiritually.

The Plague, or Yersinia pestis, has at various times in history killed between 30 – 90% of a given population. Often this was the result of a poor understanding of how the disease was transmitted with treatments and preventative measures actually facilitated the passing of the disease from one individual to another.

Braxton-Smith’s very readable text is interspersed with excerpts from historical documents and regular “Imagine you are there...” sections written from the perspective of a 12 – 16 year old affected in some way by The Plague or explaining a significant aspect of medieval life. The text also contains a brief glossary and index.

Explanations include detailed descriptions of the physical symptoms of both the pneumonic and bubonic forms of the plague, the disease process and customs relating to the disposal and burial of the dead. Social adaptations are also discussed, such as people marrying at a younger age in an attempt to boost population numbers before the next plague crisis and the famine that often followed plague outbreaks as farms lay abandoned and villages deserted.

The Role of Religion in the Plague Years

For modern readers with access to a range of diagnostic tests and medical treatments, Braxton-Smith conveys not only the facts of The Plague, but also why communities believed they could avoid or treat the plague in such unusual ways.

Many explanations relate to lack of education and the significant role the Church and religious rituals and beliefs played in the lives of everyday people. For many, The Plague was seen as a punishment by God, a belief often encouraged by the Church.

The Church often discouraged medical treatment, such as it was, as this was seen to undermine the importance of faith. Many believed that outbreaks of The Plague were a Divine punishment and as such the building and restoration of churches flourished during the plague years in an attempt to appease God.

These beliefs led some to live a life of recklessness and abandon figuring that they would be punished anyway. Others sought to appease God with prayers and fasting, while still others became Flagellants, those who punished themselves with whips studded with nails in an attempt to bypass God’s judgement.

The impact of the plague over the centuries altered the way in which everyday people related to the church and its representatives, especially as they saw monks and ministers afflicted in a similar way to the general population. The Church also developed new practices and decrees as it sought to maintain its stronghold within the community.

A Thought Provoking Examination of the Impact of the Plague

Braxton-Smith reveals tales of religious and government corruption, ignorant superstition, great yet tragic bravery and heartless self-interest as she reveals the impact the illness known as The Plague had on society over several hundred years.

In an impressive conclusion, The Death also relates past hysteria, superstition and wilful ignorance to modern epidemics, such as SARS and AIDS and other social crises such as terrorism, tsunamis and drought. This text offers excellent insights into medieval society as well as human nature in general and would be certain to spark lively classroom discussions about medieval European life for high school students learning about this period of history.

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