A memorable trip back in time

The city’s literature buffs could not have asked for more. It was a refreshing experience being catapulted back in time by 400 years into the era of William Shakespeare, with a deep insight into all that the bard stood for, all the timeless realities, both bitter and sweet, that he imparted posterity. It was so heartening to see that even in this age of mundane materialism, what with all those dotcoms, SMSs, Skypes, Facebooks and other brain-teasing manifestations of modern technology, where literature is supposed to be a relic of the past, there still are lots of people who have preserved these most sublime of gems and there are those who have the art of imparting them to others and that there are those multitudes who welcome them. 

The person we have to thank here is none other than that highly talented, illustrious personality, a personality whose name is synonymous with international film and theatre, Zia Mohyeddin.

For a full ninety minutes on Thursday evening, Zia kept the Napa auditorium, which was full to capacity, simply captivated by his theatrical talent and his impeccable English as he discussed and narrated various aspects of the bard’s life and his contribution to literature. 

The Shakespeare fans were just riveted to their seats in rapt attention. The programme was as informative as it was entertaining.

Zia started off his presentation with a quote about Shakespeare by his (Shakespeare’s) contemporary, Ben Johnson, “Shakespeare is not for an age. He is for all times.” True, absolutely true. Today even after a passage of four hundred years and the pattern of existence and human activity having undergone a massive change, nobody has been able to refute Shakespeare’s comments on life. 

The mention of Ben Johnson must have been of real interest to many music lovers in the gathering as his famous poem, “Drink to me only with thine eyes”, set to music by Austrian composer Franz Schubert, is a famous English ballad.

“Shakespeare is always in sympathy with human nature. He has made profound comments on human emotions, be it jealousy, the art of seduction, love, vengeance and others,” said Zia. 

True, there’s not an aspect of human nature, of the world, and all that man knows, on which Shakespeare has not commented most profoundly. Today, even after a passage of four centuries, none could refute any of his observations. Ben Johnson was absolutely right when he said that Shakespeare was for all times. 

“Shakespeare crystallized thoughts into memorable tales. Shakespeare outdid his contemporaries by his reflection on human suffering.”

Zia referred to the bard’s “Seven stages of man”, where he says, “The whole world is a stage and every man an actor therein”, which to many holds lots of truth, especially those with a propensity to belief in predestination.

His recitation of Mark Anthony’s speech around Julius Caesar’s cortege was simply remarkable. One got the feeling of really being present there and listening to Mark Anthony’s mesmerising oration, thanks to his theatrical talent -- and of course his unexcelled command over English.

Among other works he discussed was Hamlet and explained in detail the agonising personal dilemmas a person can be confronted with when troubled by a multitude of tormenting centrifugal forces as was Hamlet.

He also dealt with Romeo and Juliet. His comment on the Jew money lender, Shylock, in Merchant of Venice was highly revealing.

He said that through Shylock, Shakespeare was describing the collective psyche of a community that had been treated with discrimination over the centuries.

How one wishes that such highly informative and educative programmes were not so few and far between! It would be nice if Napa could get the obsession with fusion music off its back for some time and concentrate on programmes like these which would benefit not just the literature buffs but the young generation too.