LITERARY TRIP TO STRATFORD-UPON-AVON AND HAWORTH
The English literary trip began with a visit to a beautiful thatched cottage located just outside Stratford-upon-Avon – the former home of Anne Hathaway . The rich history of the house and its inhabitants made it a particularly fascinating start to the itinerary , accompanied by fortunate weather . Stratford-upon-Avon exceeded all expectations – a starkly modern and sprawling town , but one wearing its heritage proudly on its sleeve . The centrepiece was undoubtedly the imposing Royal Shakespeare Theatre , in which we watched Owen Horsley ’ s striking production of Henry VI : Part II , aptly hailed by the Guardian as a ‘ thrilling game of thrones ’.
The performance was a visual marvel , its ingenious audio-visual elements giving the text a bitingly contemporary edge . The play contained notable parallels to Macbeth and demonstrated the progression of Shakespeare ’ s interests as a playwright and the different lenses through which he explores the vices of power throughout his works .
The next day , we visited the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley , featuring an impressively reconstructed village and a boat tour through its labyrinthine caves . The tour guide was especially
memorable – whose infectiously jocular approach to proceedings even extended to bleaker facets of the mine ’ s history . This inspired us to flex our ( very limited ) poetic muscles , and write a piece about a canary and its duty of keeping the miners alive . Later that afternoon , we stopped in Ironbridge and marvelled at its grand gorge – struggling to believe that England housed such wonderful and underappreciated sights .
The final day saw us in Haworth – which was , thankfully , diametrically opposed to my expectations of an eerie emblem of isolation akin to The Wicker Man . The village was in fact quaint but quietly animated and bustling , with relics of the Brontë sisters ’ creative incitations around every corner . An afternoon traversal of the Yorkshire moors was suitably atmospheric ; far removed from the banalities of Kent and a playground for the imagination .
We were all saddened to return home from such a wonderfully enjoyable and enriching trip – which was made so fantastic by the leadership of Mrs Henshaw , Miss McQuillin and Mr Beverley . I hope that the trip continues to be offered to future Sixth Form students , who will make similarly unforgettable memories .
Charles FitzGerald , Lower Sixth
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