Search This Blog

24 June 2022

Westminster Abbey (Hey that’s me!) #HogsAbroad in England

Westminster Abbey was consecrated and finished in 1269. This Abbey holds over 3,000 dead, around 30 of which were kings and queens. There are several wings inside that include one for scientists, poets, actors, the Royal Tombs, and most famously, the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.

One memorial in the Poets Corner that stood out and that I was excited to see was that of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 on April 23rd, this is also believed to be the day he died 52 years later. When he was 18, he married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway (no not that one). Together they had three children, Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith.  While we do not have an exact date, it is believed Shakespeare came to London in the late 1580’s to the early 1590’s. His first works were ‘Venus and Adonis’ and ‘The rape of Lucrece’, both of which were published and printed. He then became a member of The Lord Chamberlains Men until his death in 1616. His total number of works is 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and other poetry. Shakespeare died in his home in Stratford-upon-Avon and is buried at the Holy Trinity.


Another plaque that I found interesting was one commemorating ¾ of the Bronte sisters. This plaque has the names of Charlotte, Emily Jane, and Anne. Pseudonyms Currer Bell, Ellis Bell, and Acton Bell. Emily only produced one solo novel in her life which was Wuthering Heights. Emily was only 29 when the book came out and dies a year later when she was only 30. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne had a collection of poems released called Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell in 1846.Charlotte published around four novels, most famously Jane Eyre in 1847. Anne only had two solo novels including Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

--

Theatre major Abby Hogan spent the Summer 2022 term on the Theatre in London program with support from the Office of Study Abroad Scholarship. Read more from Abby here

You can start planning your adventure abroad today! Dive in to our Explore page at 
https://studyabroad.uark.edu/explore/index.php, and start your program search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/