
Literatures and Cultural Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 2022
Abstract
The epidemic of bubonic plague that struck London in 1603 created its own culture of collectivity. Instead of seeking to place blame on others, the writers responding to the epidemic understood the disease to be divine punishment and a call to collective moral reform. Analyzing the plague pamphlets of Thomas Dekker, William Muggins, Thomas Middleton, and a Dutch refugee residing in London, Jacob Cool, this article argues that the focus on personal moral responsibility for the plague and the need for collective reform created an unexpected culture of collectivity in early modern London.
Recommended Citation
Fleck, Andrew. “The City-Sin: Collective Responsibility for the Plague in Early Modern London.” The Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association, vol. 55, no. 2, 2022, pp. 11–34. http://doi.org/10.1353/mml.2022.a924151
First Page
11
Last Page
34
Publication Title
Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association
DOI
10.1353/mml.2022.a924151
Comments
The Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association © 2022 Midwest Modern Language Association. Posted with permission from publisher.