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| Thursday, 1 July 2004 |
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Anne Hathaway of Shottery The World of arts by Gwen Herat
We know very little about Anne Hathaway's life except that she was a fine young lady brought up in the picturesque cottage which was originally a spacious farmhouse. This early home of Shakespeare's future wife stood in the setting of an old fashioned garden and an orchard. It was the specimen of early domestic architecture which very few families in that era owned. The Hathaway family of yeoman farmers were a very proud lot whose descendants lived at Shottery up to 1892. Part of the building dates from the fifteenth century. The structure was made of timber framing, wattle stone and coarse brick. The thatched roof is still maintained in its original form. There are few interesting features in the furniture that includes a carved Elizabethan bedstead that is authentic of the time as well as others that belonged to the Hatahway family. They are well preserved by the Shakespeare Trust.
Shottery is only a mile from Stratford and it was here that Shakespeare found Hathaway. Anne was already pregnant with his child when Shakespeare married her. At 18, he was hardly a man while Anne was 26. There were unusual aspects to their marriage. For instance, Shakespeare was far too young because in the sixteenth century, the average for a man to wed was between 24 and 28. Secondly the marriage was quickly arranged on a special licence obtained from the Bishop of Worchester on 27 November 1582 allowing Anne and William to wed without the usual announcing of banns in their respective churches for three weeks. This custom still prevails in England as well as in Sri Lanka in the Anglican church. Anne was already pregnant and the marriage had to take place immediately Her condition was further proved by the birth of their elder daughter Susanna who was baptised on 26 May 1583 as found in the church register of Stratford, indicating her birth six months after her parents wed. From the first day of their marriage until Shakespeare purchased New Place in Stratford in 1597, Anne lived with his parents at Henley Street. After Susanna's birth they were blessed with twins, a son named Hamnet and daughter, Judith on 2 February 1585.
Shakespeare's household was a busy one with all his brothers and sister, Joan (b. 1558), Margaret (b. 1562), William (b. 1564), Gilbert (b. 1566), Joanne (b. 1569), Anne (b. 1571), Richard (b. 1574) and Edmond (b. 1580). Shakespeare was thrilled when his Hamnet was born so that the family name could have continued but it was not to be. Hamnet was just 11 when he died and was buried at Stratford on 11 September 1596. His dream of an heir shattered, Shakespeare may have subconsciously put his feelings into Hamlet which he wrote about four years after his son's death. His baptism and death are recorded at Stratford in its Registry. The name Hamnet was a popular one given to boys during that time and Shakespeare did same. But his name reminds us of yet another name that was to take the literary world by storm. It was Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, the doomed hero of one of the Bard's greatest plays written in 1602. In this play, the son sets out to avenge his father's death. It is perhaps not irrelevant to assume that when he was writing Hamlet, Shakespeare would have been painfully aware of the loss of his only son, Hamnet who marked the end of the direct line of Shakespeare. Every phase in Shakespeare's life had been on record and the years from 1582 to 1592 were dubbed as the lost years. This was the time of his marriage to Anne as well as his appearances as a successful playwright in London. What was he doing or did he earn a living? were some of the questions that were asked. Also, how on earth this grammar school boy from Stratford without a formal education go to London and start work with famous groups of actors? Many theories have been argued. The possibility of Shakespeare becoming a tutor to the family of some great nobleman on the introduction of his teacher, John Cotton. At this point he may have drifted to a group called Lord Strange's Men and travelled with them to London or he may have even met with a company of actors from Stratford. But the girl from Shottery remained in the background. Her dullness and inexperience of her husband's genius and his thirst for the theatre, may have meant little to her. Her marriage was not the ideal one. Incompatibility to work them out, Shakespeare took to travelling with the theatre. If one were to study his female characters in all his plays except for Portia, he made them out to be homicidal, suicidal, murderous, stupid, cunning, ambitious, etc. Did he give went to his feelings? Not every one could have been coincidental. But Shakespeare was clever in imposing upon a character whose identity was left open for the reader to judge. The sonnets reveal these aspects of his writing. We still do not know for sure who the 'Dark Lady' is. Certainly not Anne but could have been a reflection on her. As for Anne, she never lived 'happily everafter' as the saying goes after she moved away from Shottery to Stratford and Henley Street. ######## Cantata Singers to perform the four Coronation Anthems The Cantata Singers are performing the four Coronation Anthems composed by Handel for the coronation of George II who was proclaimed King of England. The coronation took place on June 15, 1727. This performance will take place on Saturday, July 3 at 7 p.m. at the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Polwatte to present a regal atmosphere of a national royal event. Messiah was and is Handel's greatest oratorio; in fact the most spectacular choral masterpiece ever written, said Satyendra Chellappah the musical director of the Cantata Singers. The Coronation Anthems could be considered his greatest secular crown of glory for a ceremonial State occasion. When interrupted with a question about the Cantata Singers he said the Cantata Singers were formed by one of his dearest friends, the late George Dias and his wife Nala in 1967 (touching his head with his finger recalling) or perhaps 1968, with just nine voices. The first big work was Hayden's Nelson Mass with an orchestra and 19 voices in the Lionel Wendt. The Cantata Singers were the first to sing in the LW hall. After this followed other major performances, like Masses by Mozart and his Exsultate with Sabine Ord from Germany as solo soprano and many other recognised choral greats: oratorios Samson and Solomon by Handel, the magnificent Gloria by Vivaldi and the adoration of the Magnificat by Pergalosi, both firsts in Sri Lanka. Included in the repertoire were four part songs, ballads and madrigals, plantation songs and spirituals, sacred and secular reputed masterpieces. "We remember with love the late Lorraine Abeysekera, Lylie Godridge and Douglas de Neise who inspired us and encouraged us. Also Pat Arulampalam who had the voice of a nightingale (with his eyes closed in admiration and his hand held up to indicate excellence), Mary Anne David who was our soloist in big works was a source of encouragement and advice and a broad shoulder of support and many others who gave us 'a kick on the backside' (his words) and pushed us to greater achievement and heights. Without these the Cantata Singers would be nothing." About the present group he says some of them have been singing with the CS from the time they were teenagers. At one time there were four clergymen (eyebrows up and open mouth). The Cantata Singers were a group of friends: husbands and wives and their children, a father and daughter, three sisters and their mother, consultant doctors, eminent managers in high positions in reputed commercial establishments and banking, others in virtuous obedience to the tasks they are performing as engineers and lawyers and more importantly young school boys. "I have picked to train and send them out to continue the good work or else the importance of music and the beauty music gives to our inner being will, die." When talking about their last performance of Messiah in 2003 Chellappah was asked at the end of Messiah, after the audience stood up and applauded in admiration and appreciation: how did you feel? "I was thrilled," he answered. "I was one of them applauding the choir because I heard them. Don't you understand. They did the work. They deserve the applause. I applauded with the audience. It is my back and bald head to the audience. It deserves no applause," (He laughed). He continued to explain that the only animal which can laugh, cry and sing is the human animal. Wow! Back to the Anthems. Chellappah began to explain the "import" (that's his word) of each of the brief choruses in each Anthem. He said he had compiled movements from each anthem to contribute meaningfully to four parts. The Anointing, The Enthronement, The Homage and The Thanks giving. He said "I hope Handel and the more, superior and musical knowledgeable musicians would not be affronted". He dealt with each parts of the four explaining the meaning and significance. The Anointing was a Jewish ritual. All priests, prophets and kings were anointed. Each of these was God appointed. God appointed kings. The first king Saul and then David. So Solomon was placed on David's mule and Nathan the prophet and Zadok the priest took him to Gihone anointed Solomon King. And the people rejoiced and said Long live the King. God save the King Amen, Hallelujah. There is one incident that "bang" (his word) which struck him. Jesus also rode into Jerusalem on his final and significant entry into the dwelling of Jehovah on a mule. Solomon failed but Christ Jesus redeemed us all. Recently he said Zadok the Priest which has been performed at all coronations of English Monarchs was also sung at the marriage of the Crown Prince of Norway. "First of all the proclamation, blessed by God. That is essentially Jewish. It would be expected that Handel would have written music for a fanfare, exultant type. When you will listen to it, it begins with airy wafting sounds from afar. Angels voices. The blessings of God brought by the angels and the seraphim until it explodes into, (he stops) what words can be used? An exultation of jubilation. It is also today of Gods approval and blessing. Anticipating how monarchs should conduct themselves, like our politicians will today, all appointed will be judged by God. Solomon was, tragically. Anointing is being made holy. Holiness is a prerequisite of God." |
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