William Shakespeare revisited at Stratford-upon-Avon

By K. Basrie

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, England (JP): Breathe in the atmosphere of this small market town and simultaneously retrace the steps of probably the world's greatest playwright, William Shakespeare, who was born, married and buried here.

Crossed by the River Avon, the exquisite town -- lying about 90 minutes by train from London to the northwest -- offers its vast historical legacy that spans the childhood, career and retirement years of the "poet of nature".

Known simply as Stratford by locals, it is a living guidebook to introduce Shakespeare. It also allows for free interpretations of the intricacies and mysteries surrounding the works and life of the "Bard of Avon".

For example, there is still speculation out there that the plays attributed to Shakespeare were not actually written by him.

Experts are also still losing their bearings about where and what Shakespeare was doing in seven consecutive years after the birth of his twins, Hamnet and Judith, in 1585.

One version claims he was a schoolmaster in this town; another has him becoming a soldier; yet another puts him with a group of private players in neighboring Lancashire.

"We don't even know his exact date of birth. It's purely based on experts saying he might have been born two or three days earlier before the day of his baptism," guide Margarie Fisher at the Shakespeare's Birthplace told The Jakarta Post.

One thing nobody would deny is Shakespeare's fondness for this tiny town, which looks only slightly bigger than the Monas park in Central Jakarta.

According to available historical records, it appears that he maintained strong links with his hometown throughout his 52 years.

Even when he was wealthy and owned a grand reputation in London, he never settled there. He instead spent and invested most of his earnings in his birthplace.

His children, except Hamnet who died at age 11, were all married here.

All this leads locals, particularly tourist officers, to poetically name their town "a Shakespeare country, the jewel in England's crown".

"He is our big, big asset. He's the magnet of this tiny market town. He is the best product with an international reputation we've ever had," explained former MP Maureen Hicks, who plays an active role in the tourist promotion campaign for Stratford-upon- Avon.

Annually, about 2.5 million visitors -- one third from overseas, with most of these from the United States and Japan -- spend a total expenditure of 80 million in a town of just 23,000.

According to Hicks, about 30 percent of total employment -- 4,200 jobs -- here are dependent on tourism.

"Shakespeare to this day therefore underpins our whole local economy," she told a group of visiting Indonesian journalists. "If something happens (to Shakespeare's treasures), we'll lose everything."

There are five so-called Shakespeare Houses, all associated with Shakespeare and his family, preserved in their 16th century splendor and open to the public.

They are the Shakespeare Birthplace, his wife Ann Hathaway's Cottage, his mother Mary Arden's House, his grandson-in-law Thomas Nash and New Place (where Shakespeare died), and son-in- law Dr Hall's Croft.

A lively, comprehensive exhibition on Shakespeare's life is held permanently at the entrance door of the Shakespeare Birthplace in the town center.

Inside the three-story house surrounded by a traditional English garden, visitors are allowed to stand in the rooms where Shakespeare and his seven siblings grew up.

The house, more than 450 years old, is a combination of thick wood and strong bricks. Most objects on display are genuine.

A range of furniture and needlework can be viewed along with handwritten comments from visitors, who have visited over the past 250 years.

But visitors will definitely be amused by the unusual "vandalism" on the window panes on one storey. The glass is crowded with signatures and remarks from earlier visitors, most of whom were famous figures, such as actors and musicians, of the time.

A guide at the house, Mike Pearce, said that the nasty works were made using diamond rings after bribing those in charge.

"But this kind of vandalism could also be seen as a historical record," said Pearce.

Shakespeare's birthplace was sold in 1847 for 3,000 to the Stratford and London Shakespeare Committee, which later became the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. It has borne the duty to preserve it ever since.

Last year, 102 Indonesians signed its guest book.

Besides the other four places, another must-see site linked to the life of the playwright is the Holy Trinity Church, where his grave was kept inside this ancient building.

March

This past April 25, about 5,000 people, mostly tourists, packed the narrow streets of the town to celebrate the 434th birthday of Shakespeare.

The annual decorum was marked with the long march of an army marching band, students, locals with attractive costumes and foreign envoys in their respective traditional uniforms, heading from the center of the town to the Holy Trinity Church.

The ceremony was ended with the procession at the church.

Shakespeare legacies are not the only attractions in the town.

Thanks to the goodwill and honest partnership between the council and private sector in an attempt to lure more tourists, the town also offers other draws, such as its three theaters (Royal Shakespeare Theater, The Swan and The Other Place), the famed Stratford butterfly farm and angelic Bancroft gardens on the banks of the Avon.

Like people in UK towns such as Birmingham, York, Edinburgh, Manchester, locals here -- hand in hand with businessmen and the council -- seem to come up with fresh creative ideas in their efforts to attract tourists despite the forbiddingly strong pound.

Unfortunately, for cash-strapped Asians, even the most enticing marketing ploys may not be enough.