Black Death in Medieval Culture

Black Death In Medieval Culture

The Black Death had a profound effect on medieval culture, and dominated art and literature throughout the generation that experienced it. Black Death, known at the time as the "Great Pestilence" or the "Great Plague", or simply as "The Plague", peaked in Europe between 1348 and 1350, although smaller outbreaks continued to surface across the Continent until the 17th Century, and the threat of the pandemic returning was present throughout the Late Middle Ages.

Although contemporary chronicles are often regarded by historians as the most realistic portrayals of the Black Death, the effects of such a large-scale shared experience on the population of Europe influenced poetry, prose, stage works, music and artwork throughout the period, as evidenced by writers such as Chaucer, Boccaccio, Petrarch and artists such as Holbein.