On 8 June 2010 we left Birmingham for Stratford-upon-Avon. It was drizzling heavily in the morning and as usual, we were armed with our umbrellas and thick sweaters and jackets to fend off the cold. Although the weather was not very pleasant, the day started well with the first activity, a walking tour around Stratford-upon-Avon.
Geoff, our walking tour guide, showed us the significant places in Stratford-upon-Avon, such as the grammar school that Shakespeare went to when he was young. I thought that the walking tour was very informative as we received a deeper understanding on Tudor England. It was such a pity that Shakespeare has no descendants after his grandchildren, as we can only retrieve information on Shakespeare through artifacts found and form interpretations and assumptions about his life through such artifacts.
Our tour guide was extremely engaging as he entertained us with stories from Shakespeare's time and jokes about Shakespeare.
Shakespeare probably studied at this grammar school
Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon
Where Shakespeare was laid to rest in the Holy Trinity Church
Next up, we attended a literature workshop on one of Shakespeare's famous plays, Macbeth. Written by Shakespeare after he became a famous playwright, Macbeth is an intriguing play that captured the hearts and minds of the audiences in Tudor times and continues to captivate us in modern times. The workshop gave us a better idea of how the play would have been presented in Tudor times and there was lively interaction between the lecturer and us. Hence, I would say that this workshop was very enriching and thought-provoking. The presenter discussed various key scenes in Macbeth and showed clips and photographs of various productions of Macbeth. We found that each production of the play is different in the ways it interprets the scene and the characters. Now everyone in our group is able to visualise various scenes in Macbeth, such as the Macbeths plotting to kill King Duncan in their castle, Macbeth's inner conflict regarding the murder and how both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth suffered from immense guilt after the act.
After lunch we walked to Shakespeare's birthplace, where we learned more about William Shakespeare's life and his family. There were films and displays to engage us, while facilitators dressed in Tudor costumes explained the uses of the various rooms and the items that filled them such as beddings and drawers. The gardens outside were lovely with a plethora of flowers blooming! Luckily, it wasn't raining at that time and we were able to appreciate the beauty of the garden.
Finally as we walked to have dinner, we finally had some sunshine although it was short-lived. After a scrumptious dinner of mushroom and leek soup with breaded fish, we were making our way to our travel lodge when it started to rain once again!
Waiting for dinner!
Leek and mushroom soup
Tomorrow we will be visiting St Benedict's High School and we are all looking forward to meeting our peers here in England.
Written by: Claudia
