Oral – The Merry Monarch & The Great Plague
Persona 1:
Today we are going to talk about Charles II, also known as the Merry Monarch, and about the Great Plague
of 1665. After the English Civil War and Cromwell’s rule, the monarchy returned in 1660. People were very
happy because life under Cromwell had been strict and serious.
Persona 2: Charles II became king and he was called the Merry Monarch because he loved music, dancing,
parties and theatre. He reopened theatres and enjoyed celebrations, but he was also clever and careful with
politics. He tried not to argue too much with Parliament and was quite tolerant with different religions,
although he had to be cautious with Catholics, since most people in England followed the Church of
England.
Persona 1:
But his reign was not only about fun. In 1665 the Great Plague arrived in London and killed about 100,000
people, which was nearly one fifth of the city’s population. People didn’t know the real cause of the disease.
Persona 2: They believed it came from bad air, from God’s punishment, or even from cats and dogs. In
reality, it was caused by germs carried by fleas on rats, but they didn’t understand that at the time. The
symptoms were terrible: people had swellings, fever, headaches, vomiting, and many coughed up blood.
Persona 1:
To protect themselves, people carried flowers, smoked tobacco, or wore masks with perfume to block the
bad smells. Plague doctors wore long coats, leather gloves and strange masks with herbs or spices inside.
The government also tried to stop the plague: they locked houses with infected people, painted a red cross
on the door, closed theatres and pubs, burned victims’ clothes and even killed cats and dogs.
Persona 2: The plague had a huge impact on London. Trade and business stopped, rich people and lawyers
left the city, and even King Charles II moved away for safety. Finally, in 1666, the Great Fire of London
destroyed many infected houses and helped to end the plague.
Persona 1:
So, Charles II is remembered as the Merry Monarch who brought fun and theatre back to England, but also
as the king during one of the most deadly moments in London’s history.
Persona 1:
Today we are going to talk about Charles II, also known as the Merry Monarch, and about the Great Plague
of 1665. After the English Civil War and Cromwell’s rule, the monarchy returned in 1660. People were very
happy because life under Cromwell had been strict and serious.
Persona 2: Charles II became king and he was called the Merry Monarch because he loved music, dancing,
parties and theatre. He reopened theatres and enjoyed celebrations, but he was also clever and careful with
politics. He tried not to argue too much with Parliament and was quite tolerant with different religions,
although he had to be cautious with Catholics, since most people in England followed the Church of
England.
Persona 1:
But his reign was not only about fun. In 1665 the Great Plague arrived in London and killed about 100,000
people, which was nearly one fifth of the city’s population. People didn’t know the real cause of the disease.
Persona 2: They believed it came from bad air, from God’s punishment, or even from cats and dogs. In
reality, it was caused by germs carried by fleas on rats, but they didn’t understand that at the time. The
symptoms were terrible: people had swellings, fever, headaches, vomiting, and many coughed up blood.
Persona 1:
To protect themselves, people carried flowers, smoked tobacco, or wore masks with perfume to block the
bad smells. Plague doctors wore long coats, leather gloves and strange masks with herbs or spices inside.
The government also tried to stop the plague: they locked houses with infected people, painted a red cross
on the door, closed theatres and pubs, burned victims’ clothes and even killed cats and dogs.
Persona 2: The plague had a huge impact on London. Trade and business stopped, rich people and lawyers
left the city, and even King Charles II moved away for safety. Finally, in 1666, the Great Fire of London
destroyed many infected houses and helped to end the plague.
Persona 1:
So, Charles II is remembered as the Merry Monarch who brought fun and theatre back to England, but also
as the king during one of the most deadly moments in London’s history.
