Tagore at Shakespeare‘s Birthplace House: Part 2

We were visiting the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon where the historic and skillfully restored house of William Shakespeare is located, after driving past road signage of Welcome to Warwickshire Shakespeare County. It is just another English house but for its resident who made it extraordinary – this was home to one of the greatest English writer who holds a universal appeal. His plays and poems continue, till today to entice readers and audience, transcending borders of countries and languages. Undoubtedly, this celebrated author is remembered even after 450 years and his literary work has been imbibed in most school and University syllabus. His legendary works add up to an astounding figure of 37 plays, 154 Sonnets & 5 titled Poems!!

Captivating Hand signed Birth-room Window

William Shakespeare’s Birthing room from the 16th century

Before entering the much awaited visit to Shakespeare’s Birth room we noticed a large opaque, slightly coloured glass window etched with several names or signatures of famous writers on it like Scottish writer Walter Scott, philosopher Thomas Carlyle and several celebrity Shakespearian actors of the 19^th century! Poet Lord Tennyson couldn’t find space to sign so it was written over others. Also, people signed on the walls & ceiling of the Birthplace. Later Visitor’s Books were only encouraged!!

Shakespeare’s Birthplace – Beds for Visitors

In the 1800’s, a tradition was commenced for the visitors to Shakespeare’s Birthplace- a pilgrimage for the writers, to etch their names on the glass window as a mark of their visit. It was truly fascinating to see their names in their original Handwriting!!

The Birth room window with scratched signatures on its glass panes of famous writers and celebrities who visited the Shakespeare’s home.

23^rd April 1564- Into the Time machine

The Parlour at Shakespeare’s home

Finally we were at Shakespeare‘s bedchamber and birthing room where one of the greatest English writer was born who holds a universal appeal till today to entice readers and audience, transcending borders of countries and languages ! Shakespeare sometimes wrote the description of his personal domestic items, furniture etc. in his plays that might have helped the restoration work right from the Bed, cradle, furnishings, Fire-place and wall- paper- all was an echo of 23^rd April 1564!!

Shakespeare’s cradle!

Birthplace to Swan and Maidenhead Inn

Next we came across the display of the ‘Changing Faces of the Birthplace’ since the late 18^th century to the attractive Swan and Maidenhead Inn in 1807 and a fashionable brick façade too  was added by 1830.Past medieval wooden sign boards of the Swan and Maidenhead Inn we reached the Extension to the main house bought later. The Extension held a perfect 16^th century look, fully equipped Kitchen along with the Drinking Parlour & Buttery. It was so real that it felt as if cooking was done here to this day!!

Shakespeare’s Birthplace- Swan and Maidenhead inn and a fashionable brick façade too by 1830

Discovery in the Gardens

Soon we stepped out into the Gardens  of the House that were used since the 16^th century for various purposes by Shakespeare’s father, like wool dealing activities, glove making, growing vegetables, herbs and medicinal plants, barn for pigs, hens and also as a storage area. Wandering through one of the five gardens attached to Shakespeare’s house, we made a discovery that added excitement to our visit and it was an icon of a true tribute to the ‘Voice of India’.

Tagore at Shakespeare’s Birthplace- an Accolade

Remembering the birth anniversary of Nobel Laureate Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on May 7^th I recall my visit to the Shakespeare’s Birthplace fondly. After the house tour we stepped out through one of the back exit door and wandered through its five gardens attached to the main House and spotted the bust of Rabindranath Tagore – the great Indian poet and writer – it stood there majestically, as a befitting homage to him.

We were at a quiet garden corner of the House and there it was- a fine sculpture on a stone plinth carved with Tagore’s poem to Shakespeare that he wrote on the tercentenary of Shakespeare’s death – completion of 300 years in 1916 titled ‘In Honour of William Shakespeare’. In the poem he praises Shakespeare as an English poet as well as a World poet as an accolade to Shakespeare’s work that inspired Tagore’s literary work too! Little did he envision that less than 50 years later the poem would be back in limelight when the Calcutta Art Society presented an ivory tablet of the poem at the newly opened Shakespeare Centre in 1964!

The Bust and the Poem- Uniting Cultures

A volunteer at the Shakespeare’s Birthplace garden added that a series of events later with the efforts of Ambassador Dr Singhvi and West-Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, the bronze bust of Rabindranath Tagore was sculpted by Kolkotta based Debabrata Chakraborty and handed over to the Trustees of the Shakespeare’s Birthplace headed by Professor Stanley Wells. Henceforth a permanent monument to Tagore was created that could be appreciated and liked by visitors of all nationalities in the years to come! 

Writer at the Bust of Rabindranath Tagore in Shakespeare’s Birthplace

I looked carefully at the poem carved below it by French sculptress Catherine Retailleau; on a plinth designed by William Hawkes. A memory jog reminded me that Tagore wrote Blank verses like Shakespeare, initially in Bengali and then translated them into English! His illustrious book of poems Gitanjali won him a Nobel Prize in literature in 1913 and he was knighted too- a post that he resigned in protest against the dismaying Jalianwala bagh massacre in Punjab!

Rabindranath Tagore’s Birth anniversary May 7^th is celebrated annually at the Shakespeare’s Birthplace by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Au Revoir

We left Shakespeare’s Birthplace house with memories of two great poets and writers- William Shakespeare & Rabindranath Tagore; born centuries and continents apart yet bought together by little effort and fate at the Shakespeare’s Birthplace! No wonder that Rabindranath Tagore is referred to as the Shakespeare of India!!

The beautiful sketch of the Shakespeare’s Birthplace house from the year 1769 from the time when his parents married