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Narrow, bustling streets. Unpleasant bodily stenches. Alleys lined with dead bodies. When taking a look back into the disease-stricken era of the 1600s, these things and more come to my mind. According to the information given in Samuel Pepys', an Englishman who lived in the England during the 1600s, diary for the month of July in 1664, seventeenth century London, England is definitely not a place I would like to live in due to the fact that women at the time were basically without any given rights, sanitation was on a downward spiral as disease skyrocketed, and the lack of technology hindered many day-to-day activities that I now take for granted.



Women in London during the 1600s were basically seen as almost worthless in the eyes of society. Not only were they limited in their rights, but they were also deemed the property of their husbands. At that time period, a woman had to have a husband to take care of her or she would be seen as a disappointment and her reputation ruined. Due to my very independent nature, one can only imagine my thoughts on that fact. In addition, according to Samuel Pepys' diary, respectful treatment towards women was was nonexistent, as Pepys himself often beat his own wife. In one of his diary entries dated Monday July 4, 1664, he talked about how he had threatened to "break off the ears" of his wife after they had gotten into an argument. In addition, he also went on to call her insulting names. This lack of respect towards women seemed to be the norm at this time and is not something I could live through; and imagine, it would be about three centuries before this changed!



Another reason why I oppose the lifestyle of this time period is due to the fact that sanitation was basically nonexistent, while disease was in abundance. I, myself, am sometimes teased by my friends for being "germophobic"; so apparently this time period just isn't for me. In addition to this lack of cleanliness, disease was widespread. In one of Pepys' diary entries, he mentions a man who was left dead in an ally, as were many others who died from disease. In another entry, he talks about getting an ulcer from the dirty water he uses daily. All in all, I could not subject myself to this kind of life if I were given a choice.



My last reason for opposing the lifestyle of the 1600s is on account of the lack of technology. So many everyday activities are taken for granted in this modern day and age. I am the kind of person who must have their i-Pod or cellphone within their site at all time. Technology is something I have come to rely and depend on fully; it's a luxury I know I cannot live without. The fact that people in London at that time actually died from little things like colds or flues because of inefficient or unavailable doctors and medicine is just unimaginable to me. Technology is simply a way of life for me now.



The treatment of women, lack of sanitation, and lack of technology are all reasons that convey why I oppose the lifestyle of the 1600s in London, England. While the culture of that time is interesting, the differences in today's world and that of the 1600s are just too great a change for me to become accustomed to.