Essay Questions

What does the Diary tell us about Pepys' social status, and his grasp of what is going on in the City?

Pepys considered himself a stoic, a man of the people, and a Londoner. However, he was also astonishingly oblivious to the problems encountered by those of a lower social strata than himself, and in some cases, completely tone deaf when it came to the mood of the city.

A prime example of this is his entries during the Great Fire of London. He was understandably worried about the fire reaching Seething Lane, where he lived, but he was also unable to comprehend what those who were already losing everything they had in the world were going through; as families loaded up their belongings, chartered any type of vessel they could, and attempted to flee the flames, Pepys' main concern was that his evening meal was rather sparse and pedestrian; no condiments, no dressings. This merited as many sentences in his Diary as the fire reaching the outskirts of Whitehall, the parliamentary and monarchial hub on the city.

What were the key signs of plague that Pepys documented in his Diary?

The main sign of plague that concerned Pepys was a boarded up front door on a house. Although this could be for a number of reasons - the household had fled the City in order to avoid the plague, a family in mourning - he feared that the family behind the boarded up door was carrying the plague and that going to near to the house might in some way contaminate him or threaten him in some way.

Pepys also noticed the quiet in the streets. Normally, the City would be bustling, filled with people, loud and vibrant, but during the plague year the streets were deserted. People fled the city if they were able to, and if they stayed, they were either too sick to go out, or too afraid to because anyone they came into contact with could be a hazard.

What do we learn about Pepys himself through his Diaries?

We learn predominantly that Pepys was a bon viveur. He loved to entertain people, to be the center of attention and the jovial host. He was a gourmand, passionate about food and wine, indulging in both and personally offended when either was in limited supply. He also loved women - the proverbial wine, women and song of which much is written. He was not a faithful husband, but was a jealous one, curtailing his wife's dancing lessons when the male instructor showed a little too much interest in her.

Pepys also took his work and his responsibilities very seriously. He prided himself on being the last man standing, relocating his office and those who worked for him to Woolwich during both the fire of London and the plague, but remaining in the City himself. Pepys viewed himself as stoic and was very proud of this trait. He was loyal to the King, having brought him home from exile, and remained a trusted servant of the crown for his entire life. He was a hard working man whose work was rewarded. Pepys also liked wealth. He was neither spender nor skinflint; he spent wisely, but was never profligate and truly enjoyed seeing his personal wealth increase.