There were several years during shakespeare's time in london in which the plague was severe enough to close the theatres 1582, 1592 (15,000 deaths), 1603, and 1607. Refusing to bow to the disease however, the bard turned to writing love poetry as a creative outlet and enjoyed great success. Poisonous gasses from the centre of the earth (called miasmas) made people ill and carrying sweet smelling flowers and herbs or a pomander would protect them from this disease We know that plague was not caused by any of these things. Explore the impact of the plague on shakespeare’s works and how it shaped his writing and theater during outbreaks.
The black plague affected william shakespeare by closing the london theaters where his plays were performed The disease also killed many of shakespeare’s family members including his only son. Information regarding the handling of the bubonic plague (black death), symptoms, medical treatment and cure used during the elizabethan era are fully described below. So many people from just one family (the number increased after shakespeare's death when his grandsons, shakespeare quiney died in infancy, aged 6 months old, in may 1617 and his brothers richard and thomas quiney died of the plague aged 19 and 20 years of age)
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