The Dishonored Series as Environmental and Social Commentary
who might have lived in Dunwall . In one such article , the fictional Isolde Parallyne says of whale oil , “ The benefits of whale oil should be harnessed to help find a cure for the plague that continues to decimate Dunwall ’ s lower classes . They claim that it is instead being used in weapons and security measures that further isolate Dunwall ’ s wealthy elite from the harsh reality unfolding on the city ’ s streets .” Yet this highlights the important points that whale oil is not a miracle cure�indeed it is never presented as a curative for any disease�and that it is a finite resource , both realities that seem to have escaped Dunwall ’ s citizens . Despite the problems , though , no one , not even those suffering most , seem especially keen to find an alternative to slaughtering whales . Michael Eisenstein notes of the ability of larger cities to mobilize when outbreaks of disease occur that “ better community surveillance and prompt delivery of medical care are key advantages for battling the spread of infection . But even a well-designed rapid response can falter in the slums ” ( 3 ). In the world of Dishonored , those with means seem ambivalent about providing any medical care to the ill , even when such action would potentially halt or slow the spread of the plague affecting all . Instead , they offer ridiculous solutions , such as using whale oil to cure disease as though it were at once snake oil and a panacea , or seek to isolate those who are infected , leaving them to suffer with neither treatment nor hope of cure .
Dunwall ’ s problems in the game ’ s present originated in prior years or even decades . Although Jessamine Kaldwin appeared to rule with a degree of care and concern , her reign was not universally praised , and given how far the plague and social inequity have spread , she was not the city ’ s savior . Dunwall is very much a city under both surveillance and a totalitarian grip , the seeds of which started under Jessamine ’ s
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