SHAKESPEARE
Lighting fires
“Improvement begins with I.”
Arnold H Glasgow
“Even if you’re on the right
track, you’ll get run over if
you just sit there.”
Will Rogers
“Opportunity is missed by
most people because it
is dressed in overalls and
looks like work.”
Thomas Edison
Celebrating
“Your attitude, not your
aptitude, determines your
altitude.”
Zig Ziglar
Shakespeare’s
“If you’re going through
hell, keep going.”
Winston Churchill
“Hard work spotlights the
sonnets
character of people. Some
turn up their sleeves. Some
turn up their noses, and
Libera
some don’t turn up at all.”
Pawel
Sam Ewing
Photo:
possible to “prove”, for example, that the author of but degree away… And hark, what discord follows!” on The Bard this week continues on page 13, where we
“When you help someone
Midnight’s Children and The Satanic Verses was none What Sir John did not acknowledge, however, is that look at the CPD available through Globe Education,
other than Jeffrey Archer). As Bacon’s star has faded the speaker of these lines, Ulysses, spends the play including Master’s qualifications.
up a steep hill, you get
among conspiracy theorists (or Anti-Stratfordians as unsettling the societal structure – taking degree away
nearer the top yourself.”
they often term themselves) other candidates have – as much as possible. Context is crucial if we are to Inspiring: Shakespeare’s Globe on London’s
emerged. Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, is take a character’s words as literal. South Bank is an exciting location for
Anonymous
a long-term favourite. Lines such as “That every word The sonnets, however, are a different matter. students and teachers alike
doth almost tell my name” (Sonnet 76) help Oxford’s Ostensibly, they contain only one voice each (although
cause, once the plainness of “every/e vere/de Deve” this is troublesome if examined closely) and the
is acknowledged. Phrases such as “my name is Will” dramatic problem of the distinction between words
(Sonnet 136) can, of course, be regarded as anomalies. and action is minimised. The sonnet is a powerful
De Vere, for the Oxfordians, was a powerful device for the expression of personal thought, and
man, one capable of overcoming the considerable therefore if a poet were to express his own views,
Headteacher's
disadvantage of dying with a quarter of his plays still rather than a character’s, would that poet not choose
left to write – 1604, when the Earl passed away, was this form? For these reasons, the sonnets have received
before the first performances of Macbeth, The Winter’s attention from biographers, but for others they remain
Tale, The Tempest and many others. In that respect, de mysterious: Who were the sonnets addressed to? What
PA of the Year
Vere can be trumped only by Christopher Marlowe, is Shakespeare’s relationship with that person? Who
whose death 10 years earlier is seen as no barrier to his was the so-called “dark lady of the sonnets”?
writing the plays of Shakespeare. The further one delves into these poems in search
Although the authorship controversies started with of the answers to those questions, and others, the more
Awards 2009
snobbery, they are fuelled by something much more ambiguities one finds. There are many answers, of
understandable: the drive to know more about favourite course, but non of them are certain. And yet, while
artists. It is a compulsion which feeds entertainment we might rue the gaps in Shakespeare’s biography, An opportunity to recognise and celebrate the people
interviews and fanclubs, and more recently celebrity we should not mourn his ambiguity of phrase, for it
who are at the heart of a successful school
websites and Twitter updates. In light of the fact that is in that fractal nature that his true literary qualities
only a few details of Shakespeare’s life are known, manifest themselves. If you are completely sure of what
replacing him with another author, the biography of a particular Shakespearean line means, it is probably
One of the most vital jobs performed in
whom has fewer gaps, allows for Shakespeare’s plays because you have not looked hard enough.
any secondary school is that of the PA to
and poems to be read biographically. Anyone convinced that Shakespeare’s identity can the headteacher. The PA is invariably the
If we restrict ourselves to the small collection of facts be found in the sonnets must surely acknowledge that a confidante of the head and a key link with the
which we know about Shakespeare, then to read the dominant theme of the sequence is the ability of poetry
staffroom, the governors, parents and pupils. Good PAs are
life in the work becomes very difficult, and much more to create and preserve selves, rather than disclose them.
an invaluable asset and few schools can operate efficiently or
subjective. Other theories emerge: Shakespeare was a Dozens of the sonnets claim this capacity, and a piece
effectively without them.
secret Catholic, a Protestant spy, a teacher, a soldier, a of their subject’s identities.
lawyer’s scribe, a sailor, a conservative, a revolutionary. Take for example, these extracts from Sonnets 17 and
In acknowledgement of this essential and important role,
Some of these theories may be true. The dearth 18: “Were some child of yours alive that time. You should
of proof, however, means that any light which they live twice: in it, and in my rhyme” (17); “In eternal lines
SecEd is proud to organise for the fourth year running, in
would shed on the works must be regarded as filtered. to time thou grow’st… this gives life to thee” (18). In
association with the DCSF International School Award,
It is no coincidence that the most important aspects Sonnet 55, the idea is developed more fully:
which is managed by the British Council, the SecEd
of Shakespeare’s life are the ones about which we are “Not marble, nor the gilded monuments,
Headteacher's PA of the Year Awards 2009, which will
certain. First, he was an avid reader, who favoured Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme,
celebrate the achievements and success of the modern
some books more than others. Second, he was a But you shall shine more bright in these contents headteacher's PA.
committed theatre professional; his writing develops as Than unswept stone besmeared with sluttish time.
theatre itself develops. When wasteful war shall statues overturn,
Only personal assistants to the headteacher of a
Even the conspiracy theorists rarely dispute that And broils root out the work of masonry,
secondary school, state or independent, may be
William Shakespeare of Stratford spent all of his Nor Mars his sword nor war’s quick fire shall burn
entered. Nominations will only be accepted by the
working life in and around the playhouses. There is a The living record of your memory.”
head or deputy head. To enter, a statement
large amount of evidence that Shakespeare did write It is hard to argue against the sentiment of these
Shakespeare (see chapter three of Jonathan Bate’s The words. In the past 400 years, buildings have crumbled,
of not more than 700 words must be
Genius of Shakespeare for a comprehensive account) statues fallen, but these words remain the same. It is in
written, explaining why the
but none is more important to our understanding of his the final line of the extract, we find the compelling idea
nominated PA deserves
works than those two facts: Shakespeare was a full-time of the poem as a “living record”.
the award.
theatre professional and a keen reader. This poem, any poem, will never mean the same
If we are to read any of Shakespeare’s works with the thing to two different people, and so as long as people
Nominations should be
author’s identity in mind, rather, that is, than the quality of read it, it continues to create meaning. Surely, then, if
sent to Pete Henshaw by no
his writing, then the sonnets are the most obvious choice. we are to reflect on the life of Shakespeare, it need not
later than October 15, 2009.
If we take a play from which to infer Shakespeare’s be the life of the man, but the life of the work. By all
For information and guidance for
innermost feelings, then we have to choose from the means celebrate the Shakespearean anniversaries which
nominators is also available.
multiple, contradictory voices in that play, before we even 2009 ushers in. As you do so, though, remember that
come to interpreting the words of the character at all. the sonnets are very much alive.
Email pete.h@markallengroup.com,
SecEd
Such a process has led to grave misinterpretations.
write to SecEd, MA Education, St. Jude's
In the House of Commons in 1947, Sir John Anderson • Gwilym Jones is at the University of Sussex, completing
Church, Dulwich Road, London, SE24 0PB
quoted from Troilus and Cressida, arguing that his doctoral thesis Shakespeare’s Storms. He is also
or visit www.sec-ed.co.uk
Shakespeare propounded a strict social order: “Take visiting lecturer at Shakespeare’s Globe. Our focus
pa 2009.indd 1 27/8/09 15:50:59
SecEd • September 3 2009 9
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