‘The way people of Eyam respond to the plague is just as disturbing and destructive as the impact of the plague itself.’ Discuss

‘The way people of Eyam respond to the plague is just as disturbing and destructive as the impact of the plague itself.’ Discuss

how do people respond?

how is the plague destructive

abandon faith

hold on to hope

anna

elinor

mompellion

jane martine

cling to societal values

townspeople = attack one another, superstition

bradfords

still has challenges

reminisces about children

questions society + peaceful rebellion

uses knowledge for good

Anys

john gordon

how is it destructive?

destroys relationship between people

attacking anys

aphra attacking elinor and killing Child

manipulative and opportunistic values brought forth

Josiah 'of those too weak or ill to bury their dead he demanded a high fee'

colonel bradford + liz

left with haste - ironic in that it parallels religious values

did what anyone with means to do so would; 'safeguarding what is theirs'

Brooks highlights the disturbing characteristics of the plague albeit 'simply a thing in nature' which the townspeople have no control over

plague tokens = roses

Brings forth the 'ugly thoughts' and opportunistic values held by the townspeople since before the plague which are therefore more disturbing than the plague itself.

many of the women in eyam are able to rise above the institutionalised societal values and religious dogma that causes others to succumb to the destructive nature of the plague.

towns people = attack anys because of their reliance on religion and superstition = dependance

anna

bradfords

anys

elinor

'safeguarding what is mine'

'best physic against the plague is to run far from it'

Mompellion

learned and upper class, divine status allows him to convince villagers of his opinions and

left with haste = ironic negates religion

throughout brooks describes the ugly nature of the plague which takes its toll emotionally

loss of suffering

numbers of people who died

isolation

plague = less disturbing because there was no choice

Jane Martin

abandons religion when faith is in question

continual return to cucklet delf, miners tavern and rectory reinforces the constraints of the 'wide green prison' and the impact of Anna's knowledge of the wider world, proves a challenge for her yet she is still able to rise above this

long and exhausting death of george viccars

'sweet smell of apples' to the 'stench of rotting fish' how quickly the plague causes not the world they once knew to turn upside down. Their environment reflecting the rotting of morale that the plague ensues

'I used to love this season'

'emptying pews and missing faces' - emotional toll on the people in eyam

as key members of the society such as the sexton pass away as a result of the plague, the social order begins to erode leaving gaps for people to fill

takes a physical toll on people = mompellion is 'broken' and 'exhausted' by his need to fulfil every role and remain at the bedside of those dieing

creates an opportunity for people to respond in cruel or compassionate ways

despite being a woman of rank and learning grants Anna the gift and power of an education which is denied to so many women in 17th century society due to the institutionalised patriarchal values

along with this elinor chooses to 'mother those who weren't mothered enough in their own crowded crofts' transcending the social mores and barriers that restrict others from interacting with those raised upon a pedestal by the society

her capacity to ignore social barriers