"We know what we are but not what we
may be." (Hamlet, Act IV Scene V) In 1564, Mary Shakespeare
gave birth to the most internationally renowned poet and playwright to ever walk
the planet--William Shakespeare. When people think of important English
historical figures, Shakespeare usually places near the top of the list.
So, Shakespeare enjoyed a life of blissful fame, right? Not exactly.
A look into his works reveals a deeply troubled man that used writing to
question the core ideas of life, love and death. His works have been
translated, adapted, referenced, and performed for centuries. With humble
beginnings, I doubt that he or anybody else expected his works to survive and
achieve the recognition they have.
Stratford-upon-Avon boasts as the
birthplace of William Shakespeare. A small village nestled in the English
countryside, it has become a tourist destination for literature lovers. I
fall into this category. I came to appreciate Shakespeare in my high
school English class when we read Macbeth, Hamlet, and Romeo and
Juliet. Although I'm not an English major, I knew that I wanted to
study more Shakespeare at the university level. When I got accepted into
Harlaxton, I immediately looked into taking a Shakespeare course. What
could be more English-esque than taking Shakespeare in England? Luckily,
not only was Shakespeare being offered, but it involved a day trip to
Stratford-upon-Avon on March 7. This would be a full immersion
experience!
On Saturday morning, I collected my packed
lunch and boarded the coach. A two-hour journey to Stratford, some people
decided to read, some people decided to listen to music, and I decided to
sleep. I had a full day ahead of me, so I needed to be well rested!
Upon arrival, we each received a ticket that allowed us to enter a number
of Shakespeare properties--including his birthplace and Holy Trinity Church
(his burial site).
I decided to visit his birthplace first.
Before entering the actual house, I walked through a series of museum
exhibitions. There were copies of his original text and some artifacts
from Shakespeare's time. This made the whole experience more real.
I was really about to enter the home of this literary legend. The
home itself was much larger than I expected. It had two stories, and each
room was furnished as it would have been in the sixteenth century. Volunteers
dressed in costume were located in different rooms around the house, explaining
the role it played in Shakespeare's childhood and answering any questions.
My favorite room was the upstairs room where Shakespeare had actually
been born. There was a window on display inscribed with the names of
visitors, including some famous writers. As I left the house, a woman
dressed in costume recited Shakespeare plays to visitors. They could name
any play, and she would recite a monologue from it. Talk about memory!
The next stop was the Holy Trinity Church.
Located on the Avon River, it was a nice, scenic walk through a
park--well, after fighting the crowds of tourists lining the street sidewalks.
I need to mention that the day for the Stratford trip could not have been
more perfect. The sunshine filled the cloudless sky. People
strolled through the park without jackets. Families had picnics.
Couples walked their dogs. Walking along the river filled with
swans made getting lost acceptable. I accidentally wandered to the
opposite side of the river, thinking that there would be a connecting bridge
farther down near the church. But, once I discovered I was wrong and the
only option to cross included swimming, I turned back.
The Holy Trinity Church dates back to the
800s, becoming the stone structure in Norman times. Inside lay the bodies
of William Shakespeare, his wife Anne (Hathaway) Shakespeare, his daughter
Susanna, his son-in-law Dr. John Hall, and Thomas Nash. It is also the
church where the Shakespeare family attended services. William was
baptized and probably married there as well. As Dr. Walsh said,
"I've never felt so close to Shakespeare as when I'm within two feet of
his DNA." I couldn't have said it better myself.
Later that evening, everybody on the trip
attended a production of Love's Labours Lost performed by the Royal
Shakespeare Company. This is THE professional theater group of England,
and they did not disappoint. Even though our seats were in the nosebleed
section, there wasn't a "bad" seat in the house. I could see
all actors performing (one of them even acted in the James Bond Skyfall movie!).
The plot was set in Edwardian England, so around the time of World War I.
I had never read the play, but I have never seen a play of that standard.
The props were magnificent, the actors were effective, and the emotions
were delivered. The audience laughed and cried. I'm so glad I got
to see that performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theater.
Our coach arrived back at Harlaxton just
after midnight. Even though it was a long day, I am able to cross yet
another thing off of my bucket list. I believe that Shakespeare knew he
was a successful poet and playwright, but I don't believe he ever guessed the
fame his works would bring him centuries later! I would recommend
Stratford to anyone visiting England, even if you aren't a Shakespeare fanatic.
There's something for everyone--even the UK’s biggest tropical butterfly
farm! There's truly something for everyone.
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