One of my favorite works is a compilation of stories in which the common theme is the effect of a brief encounter. Though the works character will appear in a city for a brief time, run into an old friend, encounter a tragedy or some touch with another person. For example, there is the story of a business man that makes a short stop to a small Mexican town on his way to future appointment. While there he makes a bet over eating hot peppers. The businessman in the end dose win; however, that is not the point. In this novel this seemingly small moment opens the eyes of this town and the man. Over a game race is finally put to rest and they begin to see each other as equals and human beings. This brief encounter ends up changing the racist structure of an entire city and the thought of a very staunch man.
I feel like i have had such a brief encounter! Over the past few weeks of this semester i have found through Shakespeare motivations to make huge decisions in my life. It has change the way i view myself, others, and the power of the written word.
London Study Abroad
One of these changes caused me to apply and subsequently accept the opportunity to study abroad in London. It will be such a marvelous chance to see first hand the rivers that prompted Shakespeare's "fishing" lines and the theater in which his plays were performed.
Roommate
Along with my exeriance has been interwoven the experiance of one of my roomates. He first approch to me in regards to Shakespeare was that it held the Grammy for the "worst experiance of his life". My inital reaction was the two year old approch "Na ah." His: "Ya ha!" You get the idea, things didn't go so well on convincing him! Then later as i showed him a clip from our music video, he had a sofening of the heart, "so what were you saying?"
So study evermore is overshot.
While it doth study to have what it would,
It doth forget to do the ting it should.
And when it hath the thing it hunteth most,
'Tis won as towns with fire--so won, so lost.
I explained to him that i had found "My Story" in Shakespeare! That i saw my ambitions and goals, my crazy dreams in these lines. I saw my touch in had as i took my goals with fire and burning everything in my path. I told him that when we win our goals with fire we have nothing but ash to show for it in the end. The power of Shakespeare then becomes the universal truths that are the backbone of his plays. It is not only what is said that is power but
in the way it's said!
What made our Shakespeare night so power for me was that we all took those powerful moments, in the way they were said, and shared them in our own way. These moments culminated to a power and moving experience that will not shortly be forgotten.
Group Encounters
One of the most power moments in class came for me while working our final project. It was Matt, Meg, Kara, and I all sitting down in our room just the four of us pouring over the quotes that we had pulled from Shakespeare and in essence selling them to the others. One of the cool things about Shakespeare is the only thing need to sell is simply to perform it. So that right, we sat down there reading lines to each other with all the passion our conviction could cascade into it. I must admit there was a feeling there i will never forget as we pour over lines together. Kara's ideas and passion for Measure for Measure i will not soon forget!
“They say, best men are moulded out of faults;
And, for the most, become much more the better”
(Measure for Measure V.i)
I can't wait to read Measure for Measure for myself so that i too can share in the passion and insight that she gained from her time in the work.
After, Kara finished Matt began soon after...
“...If we are mark'd to die, we are now
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more....
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon [this] day.”
(Henry V)
The power of these line rallied and called my thoughts to my brother and all that he has done in the military. The price that he has paid the lives that have been lost and the lives that have been won for this great country in which we live. The feeling were only intensified as i watch men and women in there battle colors say these same lines. Like wise my soul hungers for the time to spend in Henry V.
Following Matt's stirring lines it was my turn, my sentiments followed in tune pulling from an odd spot a principle of truth that fit just right. For nothing that was ever worth fighting for came at a cheap price!
“But this swift business
I must uneasy make, lest too light winning
Make the prize light.”
(The Tempest)
Tie into Shakespeare Night
Over all i saw the same passion the same dream and the same drive in everyone of our classmate's
final projects as we met on Friday night. Each one of us, based on our background and choice of project, engaged Shakespeare in a different way, but at the same time we all were caught by something that Shakespeare said and then acted upon it. There was a definite passion and motivating force as we all rallied together. The art was amazing, the play captivating, audio insightful, and the night well prepared. All in all, my encounters with these class mates has and unfortunately for most will only be a brief encounter, but this brief encounter has left a lasting and profound impact! Why--In the Way it was Said!
