The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague

De: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Dorsey Armstrong

Many of us know the Black Death as a catastrophic event of the medieval world. But the Black Death was arguably the most significant event in Western history, profoundly affecting every aspect of human life, from the economic and social to the political, religious, and cultural. In its wake the plague left a world that was utterly changed, forever altering the traditional structure of European societies and forcing a rethinking of every single system of Western civilization: food production and trade, the church, political institutions, law, art, and more. In large measure, by the profundity of the changes it brought, the Black Death produced the modern world we live in today.

While the story of the Black Death is one of destruction and loss, its breathtaking scope and effects make it one of the most compelling and deeply intriguing episodes in human history. Understanding the remarkable unfolding of the plague and its aftermath provides a highly revealing window not only on the medieval world but also on the forces that brought about the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and modernity itself.

Speaking to the full magnitude of this world-changing historical moment, The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague, taught by celebrated medievalist Dorsey Armstrong of Purdue University, takes you on an unforgettable excursion into the time period of the plague, its full human repercussions, and its transformative effects on European civilization. In 24 richly absorbing lectures, you'll follow the path of the epidemic in its complete trajectory across medieval Europe. Majestic in scope and remarkable in detail, this course goes to the heart of one of Western history's most catalytic and galvanizing moments, the effects of which gave us the modern world.

©2016 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2016 The Great Courses

A Great Study of the Black Death

Mesmerizing. I couldn't stop listening and reading along on the PDF. A wonderful teacher with a perfect voice-I'd love to hear what she is thinking in these COVID times.

Timely discussion of the plague

My interest in this topic was renewed by current events (COVID), but the plague/Black Death has always fascinated me. If you are someone who wished for a deeper dive than the one chapter it usually gets in medieval history, this will be your jam. There's a good mix of history (of course) but also some medical /biological explanations of what happened and some alternative theories of what combined to cause such devastation.

This might be good for homeschooling, especially for a child who would be motivated to dive deeper for this fascinating topic.

What Was The Black Death Really?

I almost always enjoy The Great Courses lectures, and this offering on the Black Death was no exception. It's a subject of morbid curiosity for many of us, but more than that, this catastrophic, mysterious epidemic dramatically changed not only the lives of those unfortunates who experienced it, but altered the very nature of European society. Many scholars, Dorsey Armstrong among them, believe that the appearance and repeated return of this deadly infection was the catalyst which transformed the medieval world of Europe into the early modern period. By killing between one-third and half of the population of Europe, it upended many of the social, economic, religious, and political institutions and forced profound change in all of them. I found it fascinating.

In addition, the discussion broadened to include other pandemics of the past, challenges faced in modern times, and warnings for our future. Armstrong is clearly captivated by the possible causes of this pandemic, its impacts on art and literature, and its relevance for us today. She answered many of the questions I have pondered on a subject often mentioned, but seldom deeply examined, in most histories I've read or classes I have attended. She handled this topic with some humor but also with the respect and gravity it warrants.

I've read several excellent fictional accounts of The Plaque, including Connie Willis'Doomsday Book and Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, which were referenced in these lectures. Much of what their characters experienced was supported by this lecture series. I often find that good historical fiction can personalize history through identification with characters, creating a desire to dig further into nonfiction sources of the setting.

If you have an interest in this period of our common history, I recommend this series of lectures for the information and understanding it provides of the past as well as the implications for us today.

Well researched

Really liked the narrator. She was able to pull the material together and present a fascinating documentary on Plague.

Learned so much

This is a fascinating series of lectures. She covers how plague dramatically changed the medieval world
It will be interesting to see if there are any parallels of social and economic changes due to our current pandemic.
I definitely recommend this course.

Excellent!

Thorough, comprehensive, well-organized, well-paced, and enjoyable presentation of the topic! Additionally, Professor Armstrong’s kind, even maternal, voice created an interesting juxtaposition with the macabre subject matter. A great listen!

Engrossing History of the Great Pestilence

Excellent review of the Black Death in the context of Medieval history. Perfect for my infectious disease course.

loved it

Great course on The Black Death to start with then find something more thorough. A

Great course, but......

Enjoying this excellent course including not just the information but the narration as well. Having been in the medical profession for close to 40 years it is a fascinating course.
That said, I would love to have been able to also download accompanying notes as reference. Other than that, outstanding job! My first course from Great Courses.

Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat

A great Great Coarse, the narrator, Dorsey Armstrong, is very clear and covers all aspects of the Black Death. I really enjoyed it, especially during the pandemic we are currently going through. We as humans have not really changed much in the past 673 years. That said, the book is a great historic record of the Black Death, what is was, how it spread, and how nations and peoples of the world dealt with it. If a disease this deadly and fast was to spread today, I think most of humanity would be gone.