Quarantine historically involved isolating individuals or ships for a fixed period, often forty days, to prevent the spread of contagious illness. The practice became common during outbreaks of plague and other epidemics. In literature quarantine represents both medical precaution and social isolation. Poets sometimes use the term to explore themes of loneliness, suspicion, and the boundaries between communities when fear of disease separates people from one another.

Quarantine refers to isolation imposed to prevent disease transmission. In poetry it may symbolise loneliness, separation, or social fear. Characters placed in quarantine experience physical isolation that mirrors emotional exile. The concept also appears metaphorically when societies isolate unwanted ideas or people.