Michael Mompellion is one of the main characters in Year of Wonders. He is the village rector as well as spiritual leader of the village. When the plague strikes, Michael, is the one who convinces the villagers that in order to prevent the spread of the plague, they must quarantine themselves and not allow anyone to enter or leave the village. He is a strong character, well-developed and yet full of enigmas. As the story progresses, we begin to see a darker side of him. He is not the saintly man of the cloth that Anna believes him to be, but it isn’t until the end that we learn what kind of a man he truly is.
The fictional character of Michael Mompellion is based on the real-life clergyman William Mompesson who in 1665 convinced the people of Eyam to quarantine themselves.
To learn more about this altruistic gentleman, visit the links below:
- William Mompresson – Wikipedia
- Legacies – Myths and Legends – William Mompresson
- Local Heroes of the Eyam Plague
- Reverend William Mompesson
A Reading Map for Year of Wonders 
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