How did disease shape the history of London between 1500 and 1900 - Essay Example

How did disease shape the history of London between 1500 and 1900? Lecturer Diseases and humanity share a long and exciting history. Diseases are said to have emerged and evolved just like human being. Diseases existed in the fossil records but different from what we are experiencing in the present days, our ancestors were actually less exposed to them.  Just as man evolved, things changed and man started living in a more settled agriculturally based communities for over 10, 000 years ago. The new settlement involved human beings and animals as well.

The close contact and living in an overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. This made it possible for animal diseases to spread freely, others jumping species become deadly human infections resulting to disease s and epidemics to human beings. This paper seeks to look at how disease shaped the history of London between 1500 and 1900, a trip to the Globe Theatre in about 1605, how one get there the neighborhood life, how the  theatre was how the show and the audience were among others. London was known to be the country’s largest city, a major shipping port and acted as the economic hub of the England.

England city was most closely associated with the seat of government and the center of plague in England. Due to such facts, plague deaths were watched and tracked more closely in London that in any other part of Britain. Plagues in London had become an every year occurrence and Londoners had become used to it. In 1629 Mortality Bills, the records indicated that there were only a very few year when plague was completely absent, and on the other hand, the records indicated as well that plague become epidemic only intermittently.

During the late 1500, people had noticed that the plague had taken another angle and the poor were much devastated by the plague than the wealthy. The plague not only became a threat to London but to other nations as well. Continued recurring of the plague made it difficult to distinguish plague with other disease and people could suffer from curable disease just thinking the disease were just the normal plague that they were used to. Plague in London spread most as humankind as the interaction between human being and animals continued.

This resulted to spread of different diseases that resulted from different hosts of the infections. For instance, the flea bite was much devastating since it could cause death in only seven days. This disease changed the way of living to Londoners between 1500 and 1900, making the life of the people difficult and different. Though this was still taking place, other disease like syphilis, Cholera, Typhoid Fever among others could just be seen as plague too but as days progressed research was done and healing was discovered hence the restoration of the nation economic hub.

A trip to the Globe Theatre in about 1605, how did one get there? What was the neighborhood like? What was the theatre like? What was the show like? What was the audience like? The Globe theatre was as well known as the Shakespeare Globe Theatre. The theatre was not only one of the celebrated playhouse of all time but what made it most famous is that it was the play’s house where Shakespeare performed numerous of his greatest plays. The nature of the theatre contributed to its fame as well.

For instance, the building was that of oak, deal and stolen playhouse frame and a three storey with 3000 capacity. The theatre was so popular something that made almost every novelist like Shakespeare’s Henry V, the Chorus’ speech to present the plays and speeches in the theatre. While this was happening, the access to the theatre was not open to everyone but to those who could afford it. In this case, one would get in the theatre after paying an entry fee of about three pence. This was depending on where one wanted to be in the theatre.

One was to pay one penny to watch a play form while standing while if one was to sit they had to add some several pennies to see any play. Though Globe theatre was the most privileged in London, it was among three other theatres in Bankside district. The theatre was seen as a historical feature and everyone in the region not only wanted to see the Globe but protected it as well. The theatre was rose three stories high with a diameter of about 100 feet with a seating capacity of 3000 spectators.

The players were performed in a platform which was nearly 43 feet wide and 28 feet deep. The theatre building was done by polygonal wooden building with three galleries that surrounded an open yard. The neighbors’ not only protected the theatre but also took action protect it and make it remain relevant in their own country. For instance, in 1597 the theater was leased but they still owned it even when the lease was expired. The landlord “ Giles Allen” desired to tear the theatre down but was paid for .

Even if this was done, the neighbors heard of plot and the put it down on their own. The other thing that was not much pleasing to the neighborhood of the theatre is its own surroundings. The theatre was outside the authorities who were much opposed of it. The area where the theatre was located was also called “suburbs of sin” was known to be a disreputable for licentious behavior where brothels and gaming houses were. Globe theatre not only pleased the novelist, but everyone who was associated to it in those days.

Though the audience and the actors were driven much to perform, the performance was quite different ever since during the days, there were no public address instruments and therefore the actors were made to shout the lines they were presenting to be heard by the audience. There were all forms of audience, those who were seated and those standing. The theatre was constructed in a way that every audience was in a position to view and listen to the novelists performing. London is known to be great nation despites the challenges faced in the early 1500 and 1900.

This time the nation was faced with plagues that challenged everyone in that nation and even caused numerous deaths to the young, the youth, and the old. Even if this was happening, there were other things that kept the history of the nation and like the globe theatre. The theatre revived the face of the nation as the world greatest novelists performed in that theatre. The life of London was not only changed by the plagues but later on by the new phase that the nation acquired. London history remains.