Epidemic Manifestation in Daniel Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year and Covid 19: a
Comparative Study
Dr. Marwan Khaleel Yousif1, Assit Lec. Waleed Khalid Razzyq2, Dr. Qays Khaleel Nsaif3 1Al-Maarif University College - English Department /Iraq. E-mail: malkubasi@uoa.edu.iq 2Al-Maarif University College - English Department/Iraq. E-mail: waleedkhalid@uoa.edu.iq 3Al-Maarif University College - English Department/Iraq. E-mail: qayskhaleel@uoa.edu.iq
Article History: Received: 10 January 2021; Revised: 12 February 2021; Accepted: 27 March 2021; Published online: 16 April 2021
Abstract: Epidemic manifestation in Daniel Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year seems to be a guiding picture that shows people how to deal with the current global epidemic. This novel is meant to support a precise chronological sequence of the pace of the development of an epidemic, from the appearance of the first symptoms to the disastrous climax, and then back to ordinary life. The study has aimed at making comparative study about the current epidemic (Covid 19 ) with the epidemic (Bubonic
Plague) that is mentioned in Daniel Defoe's novel, as fatal viruses. However, the present study has adopted the descriptive
analytical comparative study; where the two epidemics have been comparatively studied. The analysis is focused on clarifying the similarities and differences between the current situation and what happened in the 1665. The researcher has come up with several results, the most important of which are: Bubonic plague and Covid 19 are similar because they have the same effect on the people who are contemporary with them, but the plague is more dangerous health crisis. They are not only regarded as health epidemics, but actual disease that affected societies in all their aspects; religion, economy, political issues, sports , educational systems, etc. People suffers from desperation, pain and sadness. Furthermore, the present study recommends from a literary point of view that history repeats itself and that people should learn from past mistakes to be ready for any kind of disaster. Keywords: Depiction, Distemper, Covid 19, infection, contagion
1.0 Introduction
A journal of the Plague Year is a novel written by Daniel Defoe and first published in 1722. It can be considered as a descriptive report of Defoe's experiences of the endemic year when the bubonic plague was spread in the city of London.The style of the novel is simple, and with a constant repetition of the same themes in its construction. The novel is presented as a first-hand description of the events in the year 1665 when Defoe was only five years old. In the novel, Defoe works hard to produce an authentic literary work that has a credible witness to identify a set of circumstances and places in which the plague was spread. Furthermore, the novel draws up lists of casualty numbers and examines the reliability of different considerations and tales collected by the narrator. Its title suggests that the events during the great plague of the year 1665 will be reported in detail. Various kinds of accounts such as mortality bills, and oral tales has inspired Defoe to come up with one of the great literary tricks over the years. This novel is considered as one of the most prominent published literary works that revolves around deadly epidemic which corresponds to the current time Covid 19. A journal of the plague year doesn't contain chapter headings or sections, starts quietly with the recent plague without mention any of the historical plagues or literary analogues. It obviously opens with "it was about the beginning of September, 1664, that I, among the rest of my neighbors, heard in ordinary discourse that the plague was returned again in Holland." The narrator is ambiguously named H.F. who is a saddler, and lives between Aldgate Church and Whitechaple.
Defoe employs his experiences as a novelist, journalist, and as an inhabitant who lives in London to integrate different types of accounts together. By doing so, he displays a real picture of the plague. Some of London inhabitants are classified as caring and brave, but others are intelligibly scared, confused, and hopeless. The novel is meant to be practical instructions of how to be behaved in such a situation and what to avoid to be saved. So,there was a debate whether the novel is fiction or historical. The novel first published as non-fiction work, but during the 1970's the work approved as a fiction. It is better to be read as a historical novel that mixes up historical events and fiction together.
1.1 Depiction of the Plague in the Novel
The bubonic plague which stayed18 months (from 1665 to 1666) is the last outbreak of a plague epidemic that takes place in London. Around 100,000 people or nearly a quarter of the city's population are estimated to be killed within 18 months. However, the contagious disease occasionally turns out into effective immense epidemic. A journal of the Plague Year has made its way when H.F. starts telling pieces of hearsay that the plague has hit
Holland, and in a careful and attentive way follows the mortality bills. In London, certain parishes are smitten, but cold environment helps in limiting the worst outbreak of the plague during the winter season. In mean while, the death tolls began to growgradually during May and June and H.F. is reluctant to stay or leave London. Finally, he decides to stay because God chooses him to stay. H.F. narrates that rich people are leaving the city, while the poor are staying and being highly affected by the disease. So, many of them give up to the tricks of astrologers, fortune-tellers, and quake doctors to get past the anxiety and fear of the great plague. Specific preventive measures such as quarantine, rules and regulations are set up by the lord Mayor and Aldermen to reduce disease spread. Normal quarantine rules include the employment of investigators, searchers, and watchmen to look after the houses, locking down the infected houses, and locking down the places where entertainment happens, and other activities are attended by the public. According to H.F.'s opinion, household quarantine is not the appropriate solution to limit the outbreak of the plague because it appears to do more damage than some cases, additionally Londoners would find their ways and tricks to get out and gather. H.F. narrates different stories about Londoners who are affected by the deadly epidemic; story of grieving parents, men throwing themselves into burial pits, husbands attempting to encourage their families, houses being stolen, and people searching for a way out to escape from the city to other uninfected towns. H.F. sympathizes with the condition of the poor and rejects all rumors that say London is chaotic during the plague epidemic. So, he narrates tales of mercifulness, charitable deeds, and redemption. However, H.F. also refers to the updated mortality bills that track the figures of people killed from the plague, which grew gradually with the spread of the disease. He praises London officials for being rational in their social behavior, states the fact that roads are devoid of dead bodies, that supplies are stored properly to assist the poor any time. Unfortunately, isolation of ships has been used through the outbreak, which makes foreign trade take a long time to activate. Ultimately, mortality bills start to indicate that the plague is gradually receding. Inhabitants who are infected are getting better much faster, and infected people rate seems to be dropping. H.F. notices that many Londoners are sincerely thankful for their salvation and attempt to survive their lives in different ways, but most of them get back to their previous guilty behavior and seem to have learned nothing from their past actions.
1.2 Themes of the Novels
The analysis here aims to center around the various themes of A Journal of the Plague Year. Daniel Defoe presents many different themes in the Novel which are based on the dangerousepidemic.
1.2.1 Bodily and Emotional Anguish
H.F., in A Journal of the Plague Year, narrates many various stories about Londoner's suffering, both bodily and emotional. Any person including the researcher who reads these stories show strongly emotional reactions to the different and constant instances of desperation, pain, and sadness. H.F. presents a clear depiction of the bodily suffering through focusing on the serious pain of the swelling on the infected individual's body. By that time, these painful swellings get big and hard; it is difficult to be exploded by any external means, so afflicted people attempt to explode these enlarged parts by burning or pricking them. The soreness of these swellings has made the afflicted running about the public roads in the city yelling and insane. As a result, some Londoners have committed suicide. H.F. also recounts tales that relate to mental and emotional states of Londoners. Dead children are extremely lamented by their parents, and dead parents are so missed by their children. Infants try to feed themselves milk from the breast of their dead mothers, or children are dying between their mother' hands. The stoppage of work has made many people starving. Being locked up in their dwellings of death has sent people into the depths of despair. H.F. reports that Londoners have gone crazy and frenzied due to the ambiguity of the distemper, and the failure to realize how it is scattered or how to keep oneself from it.
1.2.2 Charity and Sympathy for the Poor during Distemper's Time
Defoe's narrator in his narrative doesn't exclusively concentrate on abnormal, unpleasant and unhealthy subjects especially death and disease; most of his interests aim at picturing the exceptional deeds of hospitality, kindness, pity, charity, and humanity manifested by Londoners during the distemper's time.In the mean while, he confesses some of the horrible tales could probably be true, but not as common as people believed. H.F. prioritizes centering on the methods where people of London have figured out the significance of suffering, how they relieve the misery of others, how they truly lament their relatives and how they have come back to God and deliver honest confessions of a sense of guilt. However, London hasn't been subjected to any kind of mob action or to be in a mess. Londoners don’t totally lose their belief in God, or their morality; personal characteristics, such as strength of will, tolerance, and patience lead them to beat the plagueepidemic. Usually, the poor are viewed with fear and caution in times of crisis, due to their tendency to chaos and rebellion in such circumstances. Yet, H.F. in his narrative, denies this view; he proofs the opposite and shows immense sympathy for poor people. Sources of their livelihoods have
increasingly been influenced by the outbreak of the plague and they have difficulty in supplying the provision for themselves. H.F. has been an advocate of the poor against rumors that they are responsible for the mob's action. In spite of the fact that they are engaging with the quack doctors and fortune-tellers, he has very understanding for their strange behavior. Generally speaking, he tries to present a view that he has realized they are in deadly situation and there is no blame for everything that goes wrong such as attacking a watchmen or running naked, their existences become meaningless.
1.2.3 Mystery of the Distemper
A Journal of the Plague Year displays a clear portray of the actual streets and a short description of London in 1665. However, wandering the London streets is complicated owning to there is neither realistic map to direct people about the intended routes in the city nor numbers or lights, just a little air and space. The first information that is given by H.F. is where he lives and knowing of those streets very well. He wanders around the London streets to find out the reason behind the outbreak and to follow the development of the disease. The disease particulars aren't available or knowledgeable for Londoners who lived through the endemic period. Diagnosis of its main source is just based on pieces of hearsay, and there are difficulties in realizing the methods that pave the ways for the disease to step inside the city. The way the disease spread is a confusing issue; some people have thought that it is transmitted by breath and some have supposed either through communicating with the patients or by touching stuffs and clothes. Physicians and healers aren't capable of realizing whether a person carrying the disease or not and don't know how long he has been sick, or what is the best method to heal him. Generally, people who are sick don't know they are infected by the plague until it is too late and unintentionally spread it. Every once in a while, the afflicted people fall dead in the main streets, completely oblivious of their diseases till the last breath which they breathe in the free air. Londoners make several assumptions about the deadly epidemic; many of them quietly have deduced that it is from God and it is intended to be a form of heavenly punishment. As to be protected, there are many theories to avoid being infected by the distemper; keeping garlic in mouth or dousing head in vinegar are two suggested ways to be saved from the disease. Consequently, the mystery of the epidemic has added much to its danger.
1.2.4 Religion
H.F. is a god-fearing character, thus the novel has been colored religiously. To express the fidelity of normal people in London. H.F. takes a great effort to present such an image. Additionally, he is so blissful to tell about the increasing attention of people in the church. He is touched by the sincere faith scenes presented by the Londoners; such as rewards Robert's faith in God with money for his family. H.F. frequently converses about his resolution to stay in London regardless of his brother's insistence to run away. He prays to God for taking a right decision to stay or not, and after referring to his holy book, he observes a verse which he thinks is about his plight. Eventually, his fate is left to God to keep him safe. The novel is full of references to considerable Bible verses to draw similarities and comparison to the events that happened in 1665; Jonah's prophesying the annihilation of Nineveh to comment on omens; to indicate the faults of serving religion- the children of Israel's selective compliment following their salvation from Pharaoh to indicate the behaviors of London inhabitants who remained alive after the epidemic. Firstly, he formally praises the virtue of inhabitants of London during the deadly disease, but he seems frustrated when he realizes that Londoners have committed the same old sins and their partiality against religion. In days gone by the plague, religion in London was broken; schematics, self-contained, protestants had the right to practice their religion separately and had strong disagreement with The Church of London. But with the outbreak of the plague, worshipers of all sects "Flocked without discrimination." The ending of the epidemic refreshed the ancient ideas and the process of being separated.
1.3. Covid 19
Covid 19 or coronavirus, as is named by the World Health Organization, seems to be one of the most deadly viruses of modernity that hit humankind in the 20th century. Coronavirus is not only considered a health epidemic, but actual global crisis that affected societies in all its aspects and economies worldwide. The effectiveness of the epidemic differs from public to another, as the increase in poverty and discrimination on a global scale makes the necessary need for serious global cooperation. However, several hypotheses are continuously introduced about the origin of the first case (patient zero), which remains obscure. On 8 December 2019, the first human infected case was recorded in Wuhan China; as the earliest onset symptoms that reported by the World Health Organization and has resulted in a global dangerous epidemic which is hitting humanity at their different aspects. On August 2020, more than 25.3 million infections have been declared worldwide (through 188 countries and territories), lead to more than 848,000 mortalities, and more than 16.6 million recovered. Symptoms of Covid 19
include shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of smell and taste, cough and fever. Most of people who have been infected have mild symptoms, while some people progress acute respiratory distress syndrome probably as a result of cytokine storm, multi-organ failure, septic shock, and blood clots. Usually, the time from the exposure to the appearance of symptoms is approximately five days, and it may extend from two to fourteen days. The method of infection and outbreak is mainly through mouth and nose excretions containing small droplets resulted by sneezing and coughing. Therefore, preventive measures are suggested by the World Health Organization, such as household quarantine, wearing a cloth face masks, staying away from social gatherings, social distancing, continuous washing hands with soap and water, and practicing good respiratory hygiene; in order to decrease the opportunity of virus outbreak.
1.4 The impact of Covid 19 on human life
The mess and critical impacts of coronavirus epidemic have created a disastrous future appears to be less distant, and initiatives to stop it more important and rational. Therefore, it has created the opposite influence by getting minds to concentrate on the most pressing issues of the epidemic.
1.4.1 Political Clashes
International connections and political systems of various countries have been strongly influenced by the outbreak of coronavirus. Thus, this effect has caused delay of elections, suspension of legislative activities, segregation of many politicians, and has resulted in exceptional extension of state power. However, in China many regional-level administrations of the Ruling Communist Party have been dismissed due to their failure in handling the virus outbreak in the central China, as a sign of resentment of the state's response to the spread of the disease in those provinces. In The United States, there was widespread criticism on the government's handling of the disease, so president Donald Trump was attacked for his unreasonable response to the epidemic. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, the government has been severely affected by the virus, with at least twenty members of Iranian's legislature infected, in addition to at least 15 current and former high-ranking government officials, and the vice president. The outbreak of the epidemic has put forward public inquiries about the future existence of the current government. 1.4.2 Educational Performance
The coronavirus epidemic has dramatic effects on the educational systems around the world, resulting in almost complete shutdown of schools, colleges and universities, so lead to most countries depend on e-learning. Most states have tentatively locked down educational establishments in an effort to contain the outbreak of the disease, resulting in impacting nearly 72.9 percent of the students around the world. Educational system closures not only affected students, teachers, and families, but also have long-term economic and social outcomes. The influence is harder on underprivileged students and their families, leading to disruptions in learning systems, poor nutrition, student care issues, and living standard of families unable to work.
1.4.3 The poor under the Coronavirus Impact
Poor people are more probably to contract and pass away from coronavirus. Globally, poor neighborhoods are inappropriately affected by the spread of disease. Hypothetically, it has thought why this is happening to the poorer households because they live in crowded lodgings and work in low-skill business, such as supermarkets and eldercare, which are their source of livelihoods. Millions of people on low incomes could lack of access to healthcare because they are uninsured; health insurance have gone after losing their jobs, and many low-income workers have become workless.
1.4.4 Religion Implications during Covid 19
People have changed in their religious nature owing to the coronavirus epidemic. They pray to God for putting an end to the outbreak of the disease. Churches, mosques and other religious places have contained a considerable level of attendance in the coronavirus time, overall the crisis has a general impact on personal religious life, so many people have strengthened their belief. In America president Donald Trump assigned March 15 2020 as a National Day of Prayer for "God's healing hand to be placed on the people of our Nation." The outbreak of the virus has influenced the religious places in several different ways, the cancel of the worship services, closure of Sunday religious teaching, and postponement of festivals, pilgrimages and ceremonies have been applied. So, many worships have presented through live stream.
Daniel Defoe's novel provides an unexpectedly descriptive schema for the Covid 19 epidemic. Journal of the Plague Year is the horrifying novel of an epidemic ever published--and it is already jumping in to draw an analogy of the current situation. Both endemic situations depict the feeling of people wandering around the main streets without seeing those around them; portray the emergency preventing measures implemented by the governments and how people responded to them; how to forbid people to attend the funeral ceremonies of their loved ones. Through assessing the cases, there are public inquiries to find out the cause and to understand the origin of the disease, the way of the infection, what is the best way to avoid the virus, what are the chances of afflicted person, and how people receive the fake responses on all these inquiries. However, bubonic plague and Covid 19 are similar because they have the same effect on the people who are contemporary with them, but the plague is more dangerous health crisis. They are not only regarded as health epidemics, but actual diseases that affected societies in all their aspects. Both epidemics are similar in presenting many various examples about people suffering , both bodily and emotional. People suffers from desperation, pain and sadness. However, the endemic disease particulars of the plague and Covid 19 aren't available or knowledgeable for people who lived through the epidemic period. Diagnose of their main sources is just based on pieces of hearsay, and there are difficulties in realizing the methods that pave the ways for the disease. As a result, sources of the poor people's livelihoods have increasingly been influenced by the spread of the viruses, and they have difficulties in supplying the provisions for themselves. Poor people are probably to contract and pass away from the disease because they live in crowded lodgings and work in low-skill business. Yet, crisis of 1665 and 2019 has a general influence on personal religious life, so many people have come back to God and have changed in their religious nature. H.F. is so blissful to tell about the increasing attention of people in the church. He is touched by the sincere faith scenes which presented by Londoners.
1.6 Conclusion
To conclude, Daniel Defoe's A journal of the Plague Year is considered as one of the most prominent literary works that revolves around a deadly epidemic, which corresponds to the present time coronavirus. The novel is a detailed historical tutorial through which people recall their reactions to the first shock resulting from the appearance and outbreak of coronavirus. Throughout the year, various kinds of religious, social and cultural festivals are organized. These social gatherings affect infection and the spread of the viruses at the time of epidemics as shown by ancient history, especially in Daniel Defoe's novel both in local and regional levels. By studying the plague disaster, people should be optimistic. Humans will inevitably prevail over the epidemic in time, but they have to realize the reasons that enable them to do so before it is too late. However, A journal of the Plague Year shows how humans faced a disastrous virus before the current catastrophic situation and survived it as well. Bubonic plague and Covid 19 are similar because they have the same effect on the people who are contemporary with them, but the plague is more a dangerous health crisis. They are not only regarded as health epidemics, but actual diseases that affected societies in all their aspects; religion, economy, political issues, sports , educational systems, etc. Therefore, people suffer from desperation, pain and sadness.
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