When stepping out of the tube station at Westminster and seeing Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey, I felt my feet stop moving and my eyes fixed on the most iconic London landmarks right in front of me. I had to snap out of it quickly, however, because Shawn happens to walk at the speed of lightning.
Waiting in line to get into Westminster Abbey gave me plenty of time to admire the architecture, but what I didn’t know was what the inside of the Abbey had in store for me to admire. Every corner and corridor of the Abbey had me more astonished than the last, and before I knew it, I was at the infamous Westminster Abbey’s Poet’s Corner. This corner honors many different writers, poets, actors, and playwrights. As I made my way into the space, my eyes fell on the largest monument in the corner- the infamous William Shakespeare, leaning against a stack of books. In Shakespeare’s left hand is a scroll, on it are lines inscribed from The Tempest. While staring at this monument, I heard Shawn tell me to look at where I was standing, and I was in fact, standing right on top of Henry Irving’s memorial.
Unlike some of the other famous writers or actors in Poet’s Corner, Henry’s is easy to miss, especially if you’re stuck looking up. As I stood there above his memorial, I felt like I was under no authority to be standing on top of his memorial. As such a transformative actor in England, I became suddenly aware of just how influential he was, despite how small his memorial might have been.
Also found on the floor of the Abbey was the memorial of Charles Dickens, another legacy in both British and American literature. I found it interesting how Dickens’ memorial was almost in the shadow of Shakespeare, and it immediately made me think of how I once heard that Dickens called Shakespeare “The great master who knew everything.” Overall, Poets Corner was fascinating. I felt like I was gaining wisdom just by gazing at some of the most celebrated writers and actors in history.
-Emmy
Theatre in London U of A 