Today we spent time a little time in Oxford before heading to our main destination, Stratford. In Oxford, a few of us took a tour of the city and saw old sites like the first museum in England, the Radcliffe Camera, and we stopped in a few bookstores to check out their collections. The most amazing stop for me was St. Mary’s Cathedral. From several display boards we learned that John Wesley had preached a service there, and it was so controversial that they banned him from ever returning. The actual pulpit he preached from is no longer there, but the layout and design of the church remains the same. The boards also informed that Queen Elizabeth I had attended disputations at the church. We’ve been in several historical buildings and places, but something about St. Mary’s gave me chills. Many other places have been commercialized or changed to reflect how the owners “think” it might have looked. But St. Mary’s was authentic, and the reverent manner in which you are asked to behave preserves the spiritual power of the place.
In Stratford I visited three historical sites: Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Nash’s House & New Place, and Hall’s Croft. All three homes, along with three others, are owned and cared for by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. According to its website, the Trust is an independent registered educational charity that depends entirely upon the public for support, relying on the income generated from visitors, Friends and donors. On the site, people can Adopt a Trust Treasure, make a gift in your will, volunteer time, or join the Friends of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust with an annual gift that gives free admission and discounts.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace is, of course, the place where Shakespeare was born. It was the home owned by John Shakespeare and his wife Mary Arden from 1556 until John’s death, when it was bequeathed to William. When we toured the home there were two people dressed in Shakespearian garb telling the history of some of the rooms and another women modernly dressed was in a room between the two making sure traffic flowed smoothly. According to one of the workers, William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway briefly lived there when they were first married, but soon moved and never lived there again. It’s historical significance is not only for seeing where he was born or how people back then lived, but seeing his surroundings and understanding how they influenced him and his writing. From the glorious flower gardens to the farming and trade work of his father, his upbringing made nature a prominent theme, and the colors and flowers he so often saw influenced the way he saw and perceived humans and the world. In fact the flowers, for me, were the highlight of the tour. It’s hard to describe the many colors and designs within the garden. There were poppies of brilliant red, dainty flowers in skin colors of pink and peach, and wildflowers that gave an air of whist and romance. I think I noticed this more because of Dr. Welsh talking about the man during her British studies who pointed out how the flowers and plants of Stratford were worked into his plays and poems. Seeing the blooms in the place where Shakespeare lived makes his writings seem more personal, and makes him seem more approachable and humanlike versus some stuffy old bard from years ago.
The Nash House & New Place and Hall’s Croft, owned respectively by Shakespeare’s granddaughter and daughter, were certainly interesting from a time period historical view, but didn’t hold the same impact as the house where he grew up. At Nash there was a woman who gave a brief history of the place before letting us roam around, and there wasn’t anyone at Hall’s Croft.
Following our walk through the houses and through Stratford, we all met up to see Macbeth at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theater. The theater was a modern version of the Globe, though it sat far less than the original. I was struck by impact of the music and props, and will never forget the moment that Macduff’s wife was killed and they sliced open her stomach and a bloody looking fetus fell out. I thought I was going to be sick! The actors did a great job of portraying emotion, and the movement and gestures were helpful in fully portraying a story that would have been almost not understandable with the wordy and heavily accented dialogue.
Overall, today was the high point of my London experience so far!
In Stratford I visited three historical sites: Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Nash’s House & New Place, and Hall’s Croft. All three homes, along with three others, are owned and cared for by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. According to its website, the Trust is an independent registered educational charity that depends entirely upon the public for support, relying on the income generated from visitors, Friends and donors. On the site, people can Adopt a Trust Treasure, make a gift in your will, volunteer time, or join the Friends of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust with an annual gift that gives free admission and discounts.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace is, of course, the place where Shakespeare was born. It was the home owned by John Shakespeare and his wife Mary Arden from 1556 until John’s death, when it was bequeathed to William. When we toured the home there were two people dressed in Shakespearian garb telling the history of some of the rooms and another women modernly dressed was in a room between the two making sure traffic flowed smoothly. According to one of the workers, William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway briefly lived there when they were first married, but soon moved and never lived there again. It’s historical significance is not only for seeing where he was born or how people back then lived, but seeing his surroundings and understanding how they influenced him and his writing. From the glorious flower gardens to the farming and trade work of his father, his upbringing made nature a prominent theme, and the colors and flowers he so often saw influenced the way he saw and perceived humans and the world. In fact the flowers, for me, were the highlight of the tour. It’s hard to describe the many colors and designs within the garden. There were poppies of brilliant red, dainty flowers in skin colors of pink and peach, and wildflowers that gave an air of whist and romance. I think I noticed this more because of Dr. Welsh talking about the man during her British studies who pointed out how the flowers and plants of Stratford were worked into his plays and poems. Seeing the blooms in the place where Shakespeare lived makes his writings seem more personal, and makes him seem more approachable and humanlike versus some stuffy old bard from years ago.
The Nash House & New Place and Hall’s Croft, owned respectively by Shakespeare’s granddaughter and daughter, were certainly interesting from a time period historical view, but didn’t hold the same impact as the house where he grew up. At Nash there was a woman who gave a brief history of the place before letting us roam around, and there wasn’t anyone at Hall’s Croft.
Following our walk through the houses and through Stratford, we all met up to see Macbeth at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theater. The theater was a modern version of the Globe, though it sat far less than the original. I was struck by impact of the music and props, and will never forget the moment that Macduff’s wife was killed and they sliced open her stomach and a bloody looking fetus fell out. I thought I was going to be sick! The actors did a great job of portraying emotion, and the movement and gestures were helpful in fully portraying a story that would have been almost not understandable with the wordy and heavily accented dialogue.
Overall, today was the high point of my London experience so far!
