Tower Towards Tomorrow

The Tower of London stands as a historical monument centered amongst a bustling city. The towers of brick stretch towards the sky, facing the glass towers that reflect the modernity of present-day London. Arriving at the tower, the first thing we encountered was the Traitor’s Gate; the entrance to the tower where those whose fate was death and imprisonment entered but never made their way back out. We casually strolled in through the front gates.

We began our tour by finding the crown jewels—the collection of royal ceremony objects and crowns acquired by various monarchs. This tangible examination of history was fascinating. I learned a lot about the coronations and the history of royalty in London. Watching Queen Elizabeth’s coronation video was interesting considering her platinum jubilee is approaching. It put into context just how long she has been on the throne and was another example of a stark contrast between present and past. There was a moving walkway that took me past the various crowns worn by the kings and queens. It was awe strikingly beautiful to watch the jewels sparkle and gleam in the light. It was like they had a life of their own, vibrantly shining, and demanding admiration. I don’t preach any kind of loyalty or support to a system of monarchy, but it was quite a glorious sight to have the privilege to witness. These irreplaceable and invaluable jewels were carefully arranged to create this symbolic piece of history that has been meaningful not only to the people who created it but everyone who has been impacted by them henceforth.

Does that make the royal crowns a kind of art? Is the study of history itself a type of art in this way? A more abstract concept that can be up for interpretation and impacts people emotionally and throughout our day to day lives in different ways. I love history, if I wasn’t a theatre major, I would probably be doing something with history and writing. It has always fascinated me. I think in a way theatre is the study of history. To be able to step into the shoes of someone else you must understand what they’ve been through, you must find new ways to empathize with people across ways of life and timelines. This is the journey I took as I explored the tower, stepping into the shoes of people who lived completely different lives from me but might have shared a piece of the same spirit and heart.

As I walked up across the tower walls I looked out towards the brilliant blues of the skyscrapers and thought about the people who stood here before me. Was there ever someone like me who stood here and thought about things in the way I do? Did they watch the world forming around them and wonder what it was coming to? Did they experience the kind of hurt, beauty, fear and wonder that we move through today? I pictured a woman standing where I stood, thoughts swirling in her head, feelings bouncing around in her ever-changing heart. I imagined her looking out across the same skyline that I saw, thinking about life. Except she was from a much different time, she only exists now in my thoughts and imagination. The skyline she saw looked much different than the ever-growing city that I gazed out upon. Did she wonder what the future would be like, and did she imagine that it would look anything like this? That made me think about who might be around to remember me hundreds or thousands of years from now. What will that future look like, how different will it be? Is it anything that I even have the capacity to imagine? Will there ever be someone like me who sees the world in the way I do now, even if the view they’re taking in is completely different? This is one of the many reasons we make art; to leave behind a piece of who we are for the people who might need someone to relate to in an unimaginable and unpredictable future.

I walked into the next room and couldn’t believe what I found. It was an exhibit of photo displays comparing the people who used to live in this castle during its early days, compared against modern day people standing in the same positions. The people of the past looked like ghosts, reconstructions, and memories of who they were. Seeing them standing next to people from my time was strikingly similar to the thought experiment I had just been reflecting on. As I looked around the room I immediately began to cry. It was so impactful to think about and have a visual representation of the way we carry on the stories and significance of people through the creation of our own narratives.

The Tower included many exhibits and sights to see, the armory and the giant ravens who are said to guard the tower. One of my favorites was the prison in the Beauchamp tower. The Tower of London has a history as a state prison. I learned about the fate of the prisoners; some entered the Tower already sentenced to death. Depending on their crime and social status they spent their imprisonment in different ways. Some had beds and servants and were able to move freely about the tower while others suffered psychological torment in dark cells. What I found most interesting was the graffiti on the walls. Knowing that they were spending their last days in this tower, the prisoners etched messages, symbols, crests, and signatures on the wall; one last attempt to be remembered by the people who come after them. Another example of the purpose of creating as human beings, as a comfort that we can express ourselves beyond our lifetimes, we can be understood by people we will never meet. It is a way of escaping death and mortality. I thought about what it was like for them to spend their last days staring out the tiny windows that only allowed for an inch wide slit in the wall view of the street below. Regardless of their crimes, I pitied them.

One carving particularly stuck out to me. It read, ‘Honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.’ Then there was a line that was thought to have been added after he was sentenced to death, ‘hope in God departed.’ Such a striking message and communication of feelings in so little words.