Historical Factors in Year of Wonders

Historical Factors in Year of Wonders

The novel of the Year of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks, can be looked at as a comparison of the contemporary events that society is affected by today. The thought of AIDS, Ebola, or the threat of biological warfare frightens society today. By reading this novel about past catastrophic events it can become a psychological way to deal with the dangers we now face in the present. "The term plague was [mainly] recognized with bubonic plague which is a highly contagious and feverish disease caused by the bacillus Yersinia pestis, often known as Black Death" (List of Bubonic Plague Outbreaks, 2006). The presence of rodents among the dead was an indicator of the outbreak of the plague, where scholars believe that rodents were the main transporters of the disease. "The first records of the bubonic plague originated in Libya, Egypt, and Syria" (The History of Bubonic Plague, 2003). The first pandemic of the plague occurred in Egypt by 542, where trade routes were the pathway to how the outbreaks spread from city to city (The History of Bubonic Plague, 2003). From Egypt the plague traveled down the Nile to Pelesium and then Alexandria, then across seas by ship to Constantinople where it killed forty percent of the people (The History of Bubonic Plague, 2003). From there, it continued its journey through Europe and to China by 610 (The History of Bubonic Plague, 2003). Many claimed the plague to be one of the most destructive diseases in history up until that point, killing over 100 million people. The "Black Death" had reappeared in Asia by the 1300's and traveled via trade routes up to England where it reached Derbyshire in 1665-66 where this novel focuses its attention to the village of Eyam. Geraldine Brooks uses actual historical events to compose the novel Year of Wonders; where, we will explore the realities of the Plague of 1665-66 with an emphasis on the effects on the villagers of Eyam.

The plague was said to have reached the village of Eyam via a traveling tailor named George Vicars who they believe brought in clothes from London transporting the disease (Eyam Plague 1665-1666, 2000). This is illustrated I the book when Anna stated that, "Mr. Vicars told me burn his for fear of spreading his contagion" (Brooks 49). George Vicars is documented as being one of the characters in the novel that actual victims; he is known to be the first to fall victim to the plague. The plague caused an array of symptoms that left its victims in excruciating pain. For example, after 2-6 days the first symptoms are usually high fevers reaching up to 107 degrees Fahrenheit along with headaches and general sickness. Also, swollen, painful lymph nodes called "buboes" where the name was derived from the term bubonic plague. They were also referred to plague tokens which are stated in the novel. "Are lumps at the neck and rosy rings on the body not plague tokens?" (Brooks 49) After about five (5) days the plague works its way into the bloodstream where is becomes a septicemia (blood poisoning) plague. In the novel Anna talks about how she watched "Jamie suffer[s] for five days before God finally saw fit to take him" (Brooks 84).

The plague travels from the bloodstream into the lungs and creates a disease that is easily transmitted through the air. In the novel Mr. Mompellion argues that the villagers should stay in there homes and not leave the village. By doing this in hope of not spreading the infection; as a result, they raised the mortality rate in the village. Research states that when the plague is pasted from person to person via the lung system it only takes 1-3 days to begin its symptoms. An example of how the mortality rates were increasing is when Anna illustrates, "By sunset, no less than four families were visited so, by deaths that reached across generations, attacking children and parents with the same the same dread hard" (Brooks 137).

"Then God save you and the village, he said, And tell your neighbors never to call on me again" (Brooks 76). Before the plague made its way there, the village of Eyam was a happy place and there was no fear of dying. Eyam was full of friendly caring people who did not mind helping others in need. It was a place of comfort where there were no fears of dying at young ages or having to suffer through any pain inducing infections. But this would all change after the Plague hit. People would be lying on the streets dying with sores all over their body (The Great Plague 1644-1666, 2004). People would be afraid to go and interact with anyone because the fear of the Plague was too great. Brooks took this into mind and had a section of the story where it described the pain that the people were going through. "Now, after so many deaths, the place had a mournful, neglected look" (Brooks 194). The fear of interaction also had to deal with the idea of witches among the people. "Your malice has brought Plague on my man and may mother and my boys" (Brooks 84). We believe that the people had to make up a reason to blame the Plague on something or someone and some people were that someone. People died because of the plague