Boccaccio Station 1: 664 Years Ago

 I think you will all agree with me if I say that we should feel blessed and lucky to live at this generation where everything is almost available and accessible for the benefit and convenience of mankind. Can you imagine living in a time where there's no internet for the rest of your life? Too sad for those addicted to Twitter and Facebook right? Nevertheless, it is not the worst scenario. Mankind survived for the longest time without the Internet, so we could still handle it if ever. But to live without a cure to a certain illness... to live in a midst of numerous dead just outside your house... to live where seems there's no way to go, and the epidemic of a disease is everywhere. Would you still want to live if it seems there's no way to live anymore?

This is the Black Death

Coming out of the East, the Black Death reached the shores of Italy in the spring of 1348 unleashing a rampage of death across Europe unprecedented in recorded history. By the time the epidemic played itself out three years later, anywhere between 25% and 50% of Europe's population had fallen victim to the pestilence.(http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/plague.htm)

 The plague presented itself in three interrelated forms. The bubonic variant (the most common) derives its name from the swellings or buboes that appeared on a victim's neck, armpits or groin. These tumors could range in size from that of an egg to that of an apple.

 Although some survived
the painful ordeal, the manifestation of these lesions usually signaled the victim had a life expectancy of up to a week. Infected fleas that attached themselves to rats and then to humans spread this bubonic type of the plague. A second variation - pneumonic plague - attacked the respiratory system and was spread by merely breathing the exhaled air of a victim. It was much more virulent than its bubonic cousin - life expectancy was measured in one or two days. Finally, the septicemic version of the disease attacked the blood system.

Having no defense and no understanding of the cause of the pestilence, the men, women and children caught in its onslaught were bewildered, panicked, and finally devastated.
 (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/plague.htm)

I had the chance to have a short interview with our History Professor at Philippine Women's University- Quezon City Campus, Sir Bob Serviño , with regards of the Black Death occurred in time of Boccaccio.

He told me that one of the reason why there was a lot of deadly fleas  and other factors that cause of pestilence during the Middle Age is because, during their time, there was no proper waste disposal yet. So their waste were all thrown anywhere, in the canal, backyard, rivers, and streets. And so the pestilence occurred due to the absence of knowledge on the effect of not disposing their waste properly.

Many of the landlords, merchants, and officials where nowhere to find from hiding, migrating to other places far from Italy to avoid the disease. And because of the absence of the landlords, the laborers learned to start business on their own. Like for example, the carpenter whom is a carpenter of his landlord started to be a carpenter for all who needs his work in exchange of money. As well as the others started to create their own business.

So this seems to be the positive effect of the pestilence occurred during their time. It opened opportunity to others.

Another thing was, it is surprisingly that a Giovanni Boccaccio's masterpiece was born during this plague!

 The Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio lived through the plague as it ravaged the city of Florence in 1348. The experience inspired him to write The Decameron, a story of seven men and three women who escape the disease by fleeing to a villa outside the city. In his introduction to the fictional portion of his book, Boccaccio gives a graphic description of the effects of the epidemic on his city.
 (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/plague.htm)

I remember what I learned from our Scriptwriting Class. One of the factor that influences a writer is his environment. Base on what he sees and what he feels, he was able to write. Moreover, a writer can see beyond the ordinary eyes could see. 

From the book, "Trip To Quiapo", the author Ricky Lee said that, "a writer should see and let others see what he sees."

And as for me, as an aspiring writer, I should see what can't others see and let them see.

Till the next post !