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| Thursday, 29 July 2004 |
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Longing for a drop of rain by Neetha S. Ratnapala 'History repeats itself' The re-introduction of history into the school curriculum is most welcome by everyone. A country's history is so intertwined with man's civilization, that history itself is a blank sheet without man and man the same sans history.
Whether a country belongs to the old world or the new, a country's citizens take pride in knowing about its origin, its development and growth of language, literature and the arts, its periods of trial and peril, its resurgence, the invasions if any that caused its decline awakening of the spirit of nationalism, its leaders and so much more. A lover of the subject of history would feel duty bound to express gratitude if that be correct - on the re-introduction of history, especially Sri Lankan history into the school curricula. A combination of a number of subjects considered necessary for the school goers titled social science was introduced about three decades ago with a little of geography, history and civics all in one. Starting at Grade VI level this was continued up to O/Level. There was no separation of the ways as three distinct subjects even at Grade 9, the preparatory Grade for O/Level. This was the mistake. For the student himself would have had the desire to learn more of either history, geography, or civics, but ended up in a mediocre knowledge of all. History and civics was somewhat co-related, but not identical. A student gaining information of the history of a country's past may also get interested in knowing the past of other countries, its neighbours and far off lands that the native country came into contact with. Thus a comparative study of the periods or eras of history is attributed to studying or learning by interest, and by discovery. Curiosity paves the way for a child to learn with enthusiasm rather than by compulsion. It's a privilege for a student to learn the history of one's country, one's origin of civilization and its evolution, for with an understanding of one's country's history there grows a wonderful sense of being a part of that history, culture and civilization. This feeling is unexplainable and embraced by the people living within the boundaries of a nation. As Sri Lankans the citizens rally round the national flag and national anthem, but the pride and glory associated with the true spirit of nationalism waned with the disinterest picturized through lack of interest for the country's literature, history and past glory. It is common knowledge that students registering for foreign degrees are virtually compelled to learn either the language or the history or both of the country they are seeking qualifications from. A student thus burdened with the task of learning and getting accredited for studying an alien history and perhaps language, sounds rather silly if one were to disregard the fact that the student concerned has to earn his Degree or Diploma from a Higher Education Institute affiliated to that country. There was a time when even the mother tongue had to be learnt through a second language. Slowly but steadily this occupied the pride of place in socializing. A country that came under the spell of the empire in which the sun never set allowed its mother tongue to set with the complete embracing of a foreign tongue. There is no argument, that the use of the mother tongue generally is confined to a country's or state's boundaries, yet it has a language, culture and civilization that needs to be cherished. There is also an inseparable link between a country's history, language and literature. Historically there is evidence of a deterioration in language and literature in times of weak rule or foreign invasions, or domination or foreign influences. A free country follows its own path of imparting knowledge, promoting education - formal or informal, and nurturing attitudes that call for a nationalist renaissance. This does not mean that a country has to be over protective or closed and narrow in thinking. History is a wonderful area of knowledge into the past, opening doors to the present generation to venture into the past and build for the future. It leads one to be critical and rational in thinking taking the best from the old to be woven into the present and the future. History awakens one not only to the glory but shortcomings and errors of the past as well. It's wide sea one can swim in, may be in many directions and using different strokes too. For there's the history of a nation, history of the political consciousness, history of agriculture and industry, history of inventions, history of medical and scientific discoveries in short the history and times of our own forefathers in the island and globe. The subject leads us in globe trotting mentally as its physically impossible for everyone, to do so. History is nothing but the story of human existence written in so many tongues or passed down orally where written tradition is lacking. The inscriptions, the texts, the great ruins, the remains of great civilizations, the temples or the churches all speak to us historically, showing us the great deeds and doers that need to be safeguarded for future generations. The disappearance of history as a living subject was a slap in the face to the keen adventurer of history of the nation. It no doubt caused a great drought to a country that had thrived on the waters of facts and legends of the past. A drop of rain is sure to fertilize the area once more, waiting to cultivate seeds of knowledge in the minds of the young generations. For history is the story of civilizations great and small. ##### Mary of the Forest of Arden by Gwen Herat
For those of us who are familiar with Shakespeare's comedy, "As You Like It," will know the importance the poet placed on the Forest of Arden. In this romantic comedy, Shakespeare set the story although the imagined wood was more an exotic place than any Warickshire equalent as the play's descriptive passages possess a detailed and intimate quality appeared rooted in a personal knowledge as well as a deep love of the native countryside of the dramatist. Wilmcote was a village on the edge of the Forest of Arden, the ancient tract of woodlands from which Mary's family name derived. Mary Arden was Shakespeare's mother and she spent her girlhood at Wilmcote. It is believed that Shakespeare was divided in his ardour for the countryside of Stratford and Wilmcote because of his devotion and admiration for his mother. Shakespeare's country scenes and rustic characters in his plays were mostly centred around the rural England emerging from these two villages. Especially the landscapes and farming communities, inspired him. So it was in Wilmcote that his grandfather farmed while his mother grew up in its burgeon experience. Mary Arden's house is situated in the farming village of Wilmcote just about five kilometres north of Stratford-Upon Avon. Is made of two 16th century farmhouses with outbuildings that join the rest of the land. They are adjacent to Mary Arden's House and Palmer's Farm that are presently maintained by the Shakespeare Trust. Mary was the daughter of Robert Arden, a well to do farmer whose family home is now called after her (Mary Arden's House). She grew up here until she married John Shakespeare in 1557 and the subsequent birth of their son, William Shakespeare. The Trust's Shakespeare Countryside museum collections which depict the lives and work on land around Stratford-Upon-Avon from the 16th to 20th centuries, displays the Mary Arden's House and Palmer's Farm with many of its old barns and outbuildings associated with these two farms. These centuries-old stone buildings are still surrounded by the fields of the village where Shakespeare's grandfather farmed and his mother grew into a beautiful young lady whose hand was sought by many eligible young men around Stratford. The entry to Palmer's Farm is from the rear farmyard. This house was named after Adam Palmar, a neighbour and friend of the Arden family. He rebuilt the property in later part of the sixteenth century. The earliest portion was the wing on the far left as viewed from the back where tree-rings dating analysis puts it constructed as back as 1580-1 and replaced on earlier structure. The main section consists of a hall and a kitchen. Most of the meals were cooked in the kitchen using the large open fireplace with its spits for roasting. Most of the kitchen features are still on display such as storage, cooking, eating and drinking utensils that include wooden and copper items. The hall was the focal point of the household where evenings were spent around the fireplace and meals taken. The main features in the hall are the antique furniture that includes a 17th century cupboard with two carved portrait panels and a 17th century dining table. The living area were mostly confined upstairs which had four chambers which served as sleeping quarters. Here too the furniture dates from 16th and 17th centuries. There is also an unusual child's truckle bed on wooden castors. Mary Arden's House The architectural interest in the Arden's house may not look very significant at first sight but is obvious as one keep looking at it because its exterior walls were replaced in brick in the 18th century. However, inside the house, everything is what it was during the girlhood of Mary Arden who was destined to be the mother of William Shakespeare. The timber-framed structure has survived and is dated to be as early as 1514. The building was known as Glebe when it was acquired by the Church in the 18th century. However as late as in the year 2000, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust with hitherto unknown documentary proof showing that the house had been the Arden's family farm, brought it under their Trust along with other Shakespeare buildings. This remarkable discovery restored the true Arden home for preservation by the trust who had incorporated into the site 1968. Mary's father, Robert lived most of his working life in this house and raised a family of eight daughters and Mary was the youngest and was born in the 1530s. She was with her parents until she married John Shakespeare. After Robert's death, his widow, Agnes lived in the house which eventually Mary inherited under her father's will. Mary was involved in many aspects of the household which included cooking, spinning, butter and cheese making, brewing and caring for the garden. She also helped her father in the farm that included growing cereals, rearing sheep and making dairy products. The furniture and architecture of Mary Aden's House was similar to Palmer's Farm and when Mary moved over to the Shakespeare household, she found herself familiar with the surroundings. Mary was a wonderful wife who raised a family of eight with William being the third in the brood. She was capable, cheerful, a loving mother and devoted wife which William noticed as he grew up and when he at the age of eighteen, married the twenty-six-year-old Anne Hathaway, he was disappointed. It was a listless, disappointing marriage when in the eyes of William Shakespeare, his mother was the role model. |
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As one visits the ruin cities of a great civilization in Asia one is at
a loss for words seeing the work of the ancestors.
