Literature and Epidemics - THE PLAGUE

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LITERATURE AND EPIDEMICS

Introduction

                                      It is a common practice nowadays to connect our learning from literary texts with the recent happenings of the world which helps in reading the current scenario with a novel clarity. Literature written a long time ago is sometimes confused with the historical document and hence suffers from the charge of a “Past chronicle”. 


                                       The interpretations can well be justified as a record which bears some truth in a fictional or factual form. These kinds of literature, sometimes, turn out to be practical clairvoyance of the writers which may help the future generation to modify or guide the course of society in rough days. The novel coronavirus has changed the form of humanity across the globe. It is now a cliché that many people say that the post COVID19 world will not be the same. 

Perhaps, it can be said that this virus gave us an opportunity to learn to live together. Epidemic or war in the words of Camus,

We tell ourselves that pestilence is a mere bogy of the mind, a bad dream that will pass away. But it doesn't always pass away and, from one bad dream to another, it is men who pass away. (Camus)

The absurdity will always accompany humanity along with existential crises. One of the moral messages which are in the air nowadays is- We can get through this by being “US”.

I quote Prof. Dr Dilip Barad Sir, 

“The covid19 epidemic is going to affect all walks of our lives. Our creative and critical abilities will forever be governed by coronavirus pandemic. It is going to open those areas in creating writing and critical reading of literature which were rather not thought as we were in amnesia of the pandemic.”

New vistas are being formed of reading the sociological condition, the temperament of scientific research, psychological issues, political situation, and economic plight as well as other conditions have opened an area of research in the other disciplines of studies. 

Diving deep in the present scenario, it can be analysed that very few works of literature relate the era which humanity is facing from last few months at a global level. The first and the foremost among these few works is "THE PLAGUE" by Albert Camus. Originally titled "LA PESTE", is a work translated from French by Stuart Gilbert. 

Here is a brief and abrupt video of 'The Plague'. 
The novel is believed to be based on the cholera epidemic that killed a large proportion of Oran's population in 1849 following French colonization, but the novel is set in the 1940s.(contributors)

Click here to navigate to Prof. Dr Dilip Barad Sir's blog on 'The Plague'. 

THE PLAGUE - MY INSIGHTS 

The plague contains a resonance which reflects the ethos of the age. The reading of the chronicle ‘The Plague’ tells how humanity has suffered and is suffering (today) as thousands of people are dying across the globe. Millions of people have been affected by Corona. The only way we are going to get through this is if we think as ‘human’- avoiding selfishness and avoiding exploitation of poor and migrants. Largely, due to economic instability, the working-class people may seem to have much affected. 

HUMANITY –

HUMAN SELF-CENTEREDNESS VS. HUMAN SACRIFICE

One of the video I found over the internet, is worth mentioning is here which reflects the ‘decency’ suggested by Camus, to some extent. 

                   In the chronicle ‘The Plague’, there are characters that represent self-centred human beings of today’s world as well as the humans who work for the service of humanity. In this sense, the novel is fresh that provides us with a chance to ponder over the issues which we might have faced in recent days, are facing or will be facing in near days.

                      Becoming ambitious during the pandemic and executing our plan to fulfil needs is what the character of Cottard about. He carries out a profitable smuggling business when the plague has crept the city.

              On the very other hand is the objective narrator of the chronicle Dr Bernard Rieux, a humanist in true sense focuses primarily on serving humanity. His struggle in the novel with hardships and absurdity at times represents the untiring working staff of the pandemic. He was also suffering from the sense of exile but as an indefatigable, he fought. 

SCIENCE VS RELIGION –

THE QUESTION OF GOD AND RELIGION IN TIMES OF EPIDEMICS AND CALAMITIES

                             Dr Rieux as an atheist believes in curing his patients through hope. He does not even let his the suffering of his ill wife who is far away from him, overpower his work. 

                            Father Paneloux can be observed as an archetype of the ‘people who believe that COVID19 is the punishment given by God to the entire humanity’ as because it was the belief of the father Paneloux that by calling the plague ‘the act of God’ his reputation would grow in Oran and like today, fools were easily driven to Paneloux’s Christian faith and sermons. 

                                One thing which Paneloux teaches before his death is to fight the epidemic and not to quit the struggle. He makes it clear that the plague must be the test of faith of humans. On the very another hand, Camus’ description of the plight of the population of Oran and the rapid increase in the number of deaths makes the reader thinking about the existence and the absurdity. The incident of his watching a child dying causes Father Paneloux, a great shock and his faith in God also destroys. He can be seen as a true symbol of ‘absurdity’. His character has the utmost faith in God, makes the people of Oran believe in Christianity, witnesses a helpless situation, becomes numb and weak towards his own self and loses faith and dies of the same plague. Camus seems to have presented this absurdity or helplessness of human beings against the disease.  In fact, the main theme seems to take a flight from this quote-

                    Camus is not only describing the plague as a physical disease but it’s more of mental disease, and emotional plight inside of an individual. It requires grace to remain a human in an inhuman situation. 

ABSURDISM

                                    Drawing a constant parallel with COVID19, it can be sensed that people of Oran (then) and (today) the world is firstly facing an "exile".  An exile from existence, that is to say, the suffering. Suffering is at constant core whether it’s plague or Corona. The description is very gloomy and pessimistic but it indeed reflects the core feelings of an individual during the pandemic. 

Camus' aim was “to convey the suffering of the suffocation and atmosphere of terror and exile we (characters) had experienced”.

AN ARCHETYPE OF EPIDEMIC LITERATURE

‘The Plague’ can be called a chronicle of an endless war against the forces which time and again shatters human being and humanity.  It is a document of the revolt of humans against the invisible sprits resulting in loss of faith. The non-discriminatory characteristic of the plague makes the text well established to be genred under the epidemic literature. It teaches the sense of togetherness (obviously with physical distancing) which is required to fight such battles. It’s humanity which is battling against the disease which makes it epidemic literature. Furthermore, the disease is originated from animals and transferred to humans.

Literature is a powerful tool and when used by the powerful people it may change the course of society!

HUMANITY AFFECTED BY EPIDEMIC

                   

                                     It is observed that humanity is largely affected by such an epidemic. The world economy has completely shattered. The major affecting people are the working-class people and the labourers. The salaries are cut, they are losing employments, their demand in the market is less and the migrant workers in the country like India are suffering a lot in this crises, besides this, the government, as well as society, can be blamed for the huge suffering of the people who are staying at home during lockdown without food and basic necessities. It is the responsibility of every citizen to provide primary needs to the working-class people. Moreover, due to lockdown and unemployment kind of conditions, there is an increase in the cases of domestic violence. And Largely, women are taken as a medium for the vent of the frustration of jobless men. Literature plays a crucial role in leading the world to a better condition. 

THE LAST MAN

                  The same can be assumed for Mary Shelley's work called 'The Last Man'. It is worthy to ponder on the current situation taking the artistic output of the author. Its ethical relevance can be observed to play a social role during the crises. Published in 1826, the text carries an unknown pandemic which swept over the world in the 21st century.   

It is divided in three volumes which presents the existence of humans caused by a highly serious pandemic. The novel is set in 2073. An apocalyptic novel which tells the events of the people whom Mary is surrounded by.  The narrative is utterly disturbing and gloomy. It's basically a profecy which Shelley depicts in her frame narrative. I suggest you to read the text for better understanding. 

Conclusion 

        The study of Humanities and Literature in particular, plays a crucial role amidst lockdown. Some literary text functions as a guide to humanity as well as it can be fruitfully useful during emergency and pandemic. 

Works Cited

1. Camus, Albert, and Stuart Gilbert. The plague. Translated from the French by Stuart Gilbert. Modern Library, 1948.

2. Contributors, Wikipedia. The Plague. 3 may 2020. 4 may 2020 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Plague>.

3. Eliot, Thomas Stearns. The Waste Land (Liveright Classics). WW Norton &       Company, 2013.

4. Shelley, Mary. The last man. Broadview Press, 1996. 

5. Winesett, Matt. Camus’s Plague — and Ours. 4 April 2020. 4 May 2020 <https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/04/coronavirus-pandemic-albert-camus-the-plague/>.

Thank you.