Modern European History
October 19, 2017
The Effects of the Black Death in European Society
The Black Death was one of the most destructive pandemics to occur in history. It killed ⅓ of Europe’s population from 1346-1353. The Black Death was a bacteria which presented itself in many forms of the plague which resulted in the bubonic plague. It originated in central Asia and traveled along the silk road. This fatal disease lived on through black rats and through trade routes which is how it spread. The Black Death affected European society through artistic changes, class structure, and religious conflict.
The way The Black Death is remembered is through how different art was during that time. Before the plague, art focused on religious themes. However, after so many people were affected by this disease, art was centered on the darkness that came along with The Black Death and the death that was in the air and surrounded people. Before the plague, art focused on Jesus and saints and was always made with bright colors to illustrate the “happier” things and the things that brought hope to people. After The Black Death, art was made with dark colors to depict death in Europe. Because of art, and how it drastically changed, today we are able to see a glimpse of how life was during this time and how people saw things and what was happening during the Middle Ages.
As a result of The Black Death, society’s class structure was strongly impacted. The lords who needed peasants and serfs to do their work were worried because so many of them were dying due to this disease. Because of this, the workers who did live through or did not ever get the plague demanded more mon...
