Shakespeare – A 500 Years Old Journey Part – 4
We were visiting the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon where the historic, restored Birthplace house of William Shakespeare is located. 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 to entice readers and audience, transcending borders of countries and languages. Even after 450 years his literary work has been imbibed in most school and University syllabus. His legendary work adds up to an astounding figure of 37 plays, 154 Sonnets & 5 titled Poems!!
Gallery 1- Holy Trinity Church
Recap
We had already visited the Shakespeare’s captivating museum and 16th century Birthplace house alongwith discovering the Rabindranath Tagore Bust in the garden! On our walk to the Holy Trinity Church we came across the Shakespeare’s New Place/Nash House, his Grammar school, Hall’s Croft house and Dower House- each had a story to tell related to Shakespeare!
Shakespeare at Holy Trinity Church
The Front Entrance to the medieval Holy Trinity Church
We continued walking until we came upon the historic spiritual Holy Trinity Church which is one of the major landmarks of Shakespeare’s life as it was linked to him from the cradle to the grave. Next we entered the impressive architecture Holy Trinity Church where William Shakespeare was baptized on 26thApril, 1564. It is customary to baptize (christen) a child three days after the birth as Shakespeare’s birthday is on 23rd April.
Gallery 2- Entrance to the Church building
We walked along the banks of the equally enchanting ancient River Avon to enter the scenic Church from the other side.
Writer at the ancient Avon riverside, behind the Holy Trinty Church
It was an overwhelming feeling to be in a huge Church that existed before the year 1190 and was built upon over the centuries to the structure that we see today. We soon stumbled upon a colourful display of the Church-tour and located Shakespeare’s link on it.
Visitors Pankhuri & Abhishek Chopra at the riverside
Blessing and a Curse
So we first headed for the momentous restored Old Font where Shakespeare was baptized. It had been taken away from the Church once, maybe at the time of the closing down of Churches & monasteries during Henry- VIII so it got damaged after being used as a Cattle trough!
The historic ancient Font where William Shakespeare was baptized
Additionally, his grave together with his wife and family, lie in this part of the church. Looking at the Shakespeare’s Bustwe read out the engraving on Shakespeare’s grave which is both a blessing and a curse:
‘Good friend, for Jesus sake forbear
To dig the dust and closed here
Blessed to be the man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he that moves my bones’.
The grave of Shakespeare inside the beautiful Church on the far left side
A Court of Arms is included on Shakespeare’s monument in the Holy Trinity church, erected in 1623. I remembered reading that in 1596, when he became a famous playwright; Shakespeare arranged the grant of a Court of Arms on behalf of his father which entitled him and his son William Shakespeare, the status of ‘Gentleman’. It was an added advantage and honour at that time, as his career was at its peak.
Lastly, we decided to visit the other homes related to his life-his wife Anne Hathaway’s cottage without visiting which, the story of Shakespeare’s love life journey would be incomplete!
Shakespeare at Anne Hathaway’s cottage
The early medieval Anne Hathaway cottage- Shakespeare fell in love with her and married her
From Stratford-upon-Avon we drove towards the banks of Shottery brook nearby, where the 500 year old Anne Hathaway’s thatched roof cottage stands nestled in greenery; which had been lived in for 13 centuries!! Feeling to be part of a superb English landscape I recalled that William Shakespeare married her in November 1581 when he was only 18 and she was 26, something he refers to in his literary work (Twelfth night and his earlier Sonnet 145).
Visitor Arvind at the Anne Hathaway Cottage
While touring the bedrooms of the cottage alongwith listening to discerning family stories, we were excited to see the original old furniture including the Hathaway bed and ‘Shakespeare’s Courting chair’ that is believed to be used by Shakespeare during courtship with Anne and was later passed down from Shakespeare to his granddaughter, Elizabeth!
When Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust purchased the cottage in 1892 the family continued to live there and narrate the story of Shakespeare’s romance with Anne Hathaway and more to the visitors!
Beautiful Garden & Tea room
The Anne Hathaway cottage and gardens are exceptionally beautiful and reflect the inherent attractiveness around, and we entered it through an original door which has been preserved till now. This award winning landscape attracts visitors from around the world with its traditional plants, flowers and chic Shakespeare themed sculptures and tree gardens.
The miniature Shakespeare theatre & chairs at Tea shop near
Next we crossed the road to step into an area of natural beauty in which lay the striking white metal frame set in glass tea/coffee shop. A highlight of the tea shop was the tiny Theatre-Stage and Puppets surrounded by colourful chairs for children to self-perform or watch Shakespeare’s Plays!!
Shakespeare Homes and Cinema- Indian & International
I mused that I was at a historic spot where several plays were written 450 years ago that became the basis of approximately 642 international films, 50 out of which are based on Hamlet!! Since the era of silent films to the 21stcentury; Hindi cinema too has been inspired by Shakespeare’s writings. Hamlet, As You Like It, Comedy of Errors, Othello, Macbeth have been remade as popular cinema, so to name a few being – Angoor, Do-Duni Chaar, Omkara, Makbool and many more! In fact, the rich boy poor girl love twist, twin brother – sister concepts in Hindi films are so akin to Shakespeare’s plays.
Back to the car park -the famous Jester statue on the roadside from popular Play -As You Like It
Au Revoir
Leaving Shakespeare’s Stratford, I mused if Shakespeare’s literary work reflected his life experiences in most of his plays of all genres; whether they are comedies, histories or tragedies.
Additionally, 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!