Season 4, Episode 2
Joy and Plague
In this episode, we hear from a specialist in medieval literature about the bubonic plague that devastated Europe in the 14th century, and how artists like Boccaccio and Chaucer documented the horror of the Black Death but also the joy found in art and creation.
The Intricate Riddle of Life
Joy and Plague • Season 4, Episode 2
Listen on these platforms
In 1346, bubonic plague began to spread through northern Africa and Eurasia. In seven years, it had become the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, killing between 75 and 200 million people. Artists like Boccaccio and Chaucer reflected the horror and devastation in their work, but also told stories about travel, human vices and virtues, and the role of fortune versus human will. Their work revolutionized writing and language, and testified both to the suffering of the plague, and the joy found in art, nature, and storytelling.
Guest
David Wallace, Judith Rodin Professor of English
Host
Alex Schein
Producer
Susan Ahlborn
Editors
Alex Schein and Brooke Sietinsons
Interviewer
Susan Ahlborn
Illustration
Marina Muun
Music
Theme by Nicholas Escobar, C’18
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Francesco Landino’s “Ecco la primavera” performed by Hortus Musicus
More Episodes
The Restorative Power of Art
In this episode, we speak with researchers at the Positive Psychology Center, who examined how art museum visitation and museum program participation impact flourishing-related outcomes.
Music and Meaning
In this episode we speak with a professor of music about the power of song and dance during the apartheid era in South Africa, and a College alum about his process composing music for the screen, and our very own OMNIA podcast.