Una metafora degli scambi sociali: la peste fiorentina del 1630

Una metafora degli scambi sociali: la peste fiorentina del 1630

Giulia Calvi

1984

Journal Article

Giulia Calvi

Journal Article

0301-6307

The first part of this article concerns the analysis of the social behaviour of the common people of Florence during the epidemic outbreak. Through a survey of 330 criminal actions brought against the transgressors of emergency regulations by the sanitary magistrates, the authoress centres on behaviours relating to property (such as removals or plunders) and concealment of infected bodies. The transgressive practice emerging from them is induced by kinship and neighbourhood ties, employer — apprentice relationship and the statutary regulations of the respective guilds. The authoress investigates the behaviours of these social groups, seeking to grasp the values, choices, and contexts leading to them. The plague thus seems to perform the role of disclosing the social network and patterns of response, defence, and reintegration of the danger menacing the community. The second part of the article introduces the canonization procedure of Domenica da Paradiso set up by the Church hierarchs and the grand-ducal family when the epidemic was at its peak. The authoress inquires what historical-symbolical connections lead the ruling class to place this mystic woman who died about a century before 1630, in the centre of the epidemic event. She outlines the ties between Domenica and the ruling family, and the way through which she was held up as a mythical healer capable to assure the recovery of the town from the epidemic.

2017-10-30 15:27:07

1984

55 (1)

JSTOR

35-64

Quaderni storici

UNA METAFORA DEGLI SCAMBI SOCIALI

Una metafora degli scambi sociali: la peste fiorentina del 1630

http://www.jstor.org/stable/43777223

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