Bard Book Smarts: Shakespeare by the Book
Ben Cozic, staff writer
There have been many writers that have changed the way we look at writing and storytelling, but there has not been one that can compare to William Shakespeare. His multiple plays, including Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, have been passed down for generations as some of the most compelling and powerful stories in fiction.
Whether they be tragic, historic or comedic, Shakespeare’s plays have stood the test of time, but what about the man himself? What kind of information do we know about Shakespeare and his experiences in his writing? Well, you will find that some of the answers are closer than you think.
If you are near the University of Virginia, you will notice that one of the buildings, the Harrison/North Gallery Building, has a particular exhibit about Shakespeare. In this small but well-laid-out exhibit, you will find a number of well-organized glass cases divided into three sections, each including a specific point of information involving Shakespeare.
Each case has easy-to-read signs which tell you about an aspect of Shakespeare, and there are also videos around the exhibit that are informative and helpful if anyone has any questions about Shakespeare. For example, if you wanted to learn more about the first editions of Shakespeare’s writings, the information in the cases gives a lot of info about the Bard.
The exhibit is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (M to Th), 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (F) and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Sat) until December 31. Worried that it may be costly or there won’t be any space to park? Don’t worry; the exhibit is free of charge, so you can enter whenever it is open, and there is easy metered parking around the university.
Some of the cases will be moved so that the First Folio tour can occur. The First Folio tour in the UVA Library containing many of Shakespeare’s plays will be available from Oct. 1 to Oct. 26.
As Malvolio says in Twelfth Night, “Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”
