Great Fire of London
A fire erupts in a bakery on Pudding Lane, quickly engulfing the timber-framed buildings with thatched roofs. The baker and his wife scramble to escape, while the watchman and neighbors attempt to con
Setting
Pudding Lane, London, during the outbreak of the Great Fire. The narrow street is lined with timber-framed buildings, their thatched roofs catching fire easily. The bakery where the fire started is engulfed in flames, with embers floating through the air.
Characters
Baker
primary
A middle-aged man of sturdy build, his face streaked with soot and sweat. His hands are rough from years of kneading dough, and his apron is singed at the edges. His hair, usually tucked under a cap, is now disheveled and damp with perspiration.
Baker's Wife
secondary
A stout woman in her early 30s with flushed cheeks and disheveled brown hair escaping from her cap. Her hands are rough from years of kneading dough, and her face is streaked with soot and tears.
Watchman
secondary
A middle-aged man of sturdy build, with a weathered face marked by deep lines from years of outdoor work. His thick eyebrows are singed slightly from flying embers, and his hands are rough and calloused. His dark eyes are sharp and alert, scanning the chaos with practiced vigilance.
Neighbor
secondary
A middle-aged man of sturdy build, with soot-streaked face and sweat-drenched hair. His hands are rough from years of labor, and his eyes are wide with urgency as he battles the flames.
Child
background
A small, frail child of about 4 or 5 years old, with tousled brown hair and wide, tear-filled eyes. Their face is smudged with soot and their cheeks are flushed from crying.
Dialog
Baker
God's wounds, the batch is lost! Save the grain, woman—save the grain!
Baker's Wife
Leave it, Tom! The babe can't breathe—'urry! 'Elp us!
Watchman
God's blood! Form the bucket line ere the ember-tide takes the lane!
Baker
Five generations' tools in there—like dough in the fire!
Watchman
Move your arse, baker! Thames-side or perish!
Baker's Wife
Fire-fire-FIRE! The thatch goes—run!