Shakespeare and Stratford-Upon-Avon

Who would have thought that 500 years down the line, you and I would study Shakespeare at school? There is a set image of Shakespeare that is associated with a great literary man and playwright, but a visit to his actual place of birth gave me a greater insight and more detailed view of this man’s life. I have found myself in one of the most attractive villages the English countryside has to offer, complete with narrow streets and cottages. It was perfect picture, Stratford-Upon-Avon, home to the famous playwright, William Shakespeare.

I did a tour of the Shakespeare houses/gardens, where the guides in full costume brought the settings to life. I spent hours deciding on which “Shakespearean” house to visit first – Shakespeare’s Home, followed by Hall’s Croft (home to William Shakespeare’s daughter and her husband), then Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (family home of William Shakespeare’s wife), then to Mary Arden’s Farm (childhood home of William Shakespeare’s mother) and Nash’s House and New Place (the last chapter in the life of William Shakespeare) where I learned about his entire life in a stroll.

Among these houses, my favourite was Mary Arden’s Farm where during my visit the “Big Sheep Show” took place. I also experienced what it was like for Shakespeare’s family to cook in the open fire, make butter and cheese, work in the fields and take care of their animals. It seemed to me a rather normal life for a man of such great achievements.

To my astonishment, I found out that although beautiful and picturesque, the timber-framed cottages lining the streets of Stratford-Upon-Avon were quite deceiving from the outside. Although these houses appeared of normal size when I stood in front of them, once I had entered, I found low ceilings and doors two-thirds the height of a standard-sized door! This seemed to be common among the cottages, making me believe that people in 14th century were not tall.

For a chance to savour the rest of the attractions, I would recommend the sightseeing bus for more complete information with a choice of eight different languages. This still leaves a lot of free time to wander around the other parts of town, including the Museum of Witchcraft and Wizardology and the “Shakespearience”, a visitor attraction based at the Waterside Theatre. This is an attraction that aims to celebrate and introduce newcomers to the works of William Shakespeare.

From my tour, I learned that Shakespeare’s inspiration for one of his famous works, Hamlet, was the tragic death of his 11-year-old son “Hamnet” (he changed the letter “n” to an “l”).

What most of us don’t know either is that some Shakespearean words are still used in Modern English. Breaking this language barrier, words such as “tongue-tied” or “melt into thin air” are a few examples we can identify with. Oh, how the past and present mingle in perfect harmony!