How Britain celebrates its literary legacy!
While doing masters in English, I wondered at our teacher’s oft-repeated assertion: “For a student of English literature, a visit to England is a must.”
It was only during a short stay in England that I grasped the heart of the matter, for wherever I went, I found myself in proximity to William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth and John Keats. While moving in London, Westminster Bridge brought to my mind Wordsworth, sharing his impressions of the view from the bridge. The Theatre Royal and Drury Lane transported me to Richard Sheridan’s age of the Comedy of Manners. Keats Grove conjured up the Nightingale’s world portrayed by the poet. William Blake’s house, Charles Dickens’ dwellings, Dr Johnson’s abode and many such monumental buildings left an impact.
Not only London, each county of the United Kingdom evokes memories of one or the other pillar of English poetry or prose. Dedication and showmanship of the trusts and bodies, formed to preserve and promote national literary heritage, is indeed unparalleled. Each and every place where a prominent poet or playwright, novelist or essayist had lived for some time has been developed into a thought-provoking tourist destination.
It is interesting to see rooms and furniture, books and belongings of the litterateur presented in their original form. Interactive screens and stereophonic soundtracks are used to recreate past moments. One feels like rolling back into the past.
All these places are supported and supplemented by museums exhibiting manuscripts, folios, revised versions, reviews and commentaries pertaining to the litterateur. Besides, interesting and informative activities are arranged on a regular basis. A variety of artistic articles, artefacts, artworks and souvenirs are sold on the premises.
Visitors don’t mind paying highly priced entry tickets. One may dub it commercialisation of literary legacy but the revenue thus collected goes a long way in maintaining the magic of these places of literary pilgrimage.
I was particularly intrigued by the house and garden of Wordsworth. It was thrilling to see Wordsworth’s furniture and furnishings, cupboards and closets as they would have been when he lived there. Technological aids and effects offered an unforgettable opportunity to experience what it was like to live in the 1770s.
Walking down memory lane, I reflected on my old visit to Kausani, Uttarakhand, the birthplace of poet Sumitranandan Pant, popularly known as the Wordsworth of India. It was conspicuously in contradistinction to Wordsworth’s house. Though designated a museum, the legacy left much to be desired, and reminded me of Robert Browning’s words: “Look at the end of work, contrast./The petty done, the undone vast.”
Not in this case alone, sadly enough, most of our our Ghalibs, Ludhianvis and Batalvis suffer from authorities’ indifference and neglect. Poets and prophets are the pride of a nation. They are the jewels to be worn in the crown so that the world can see them. A country that celebrates them and their provenances proves its worthiness to deserve them.
POETS AND PROPHETS ARE THE PRIDE OF A NATION. A COUNTRY THAT CELEBRATES THEM PROVES ITS WORTHINESS TO DESERVE THEM