For the majority of this trip, I discovered with great disappointment that most buildings have been changed again and again from their original state. I found these alterations in the structures also distorted my perception of how each place would have functioned in their representative time periods. Seeing the whitewashed walls of King’s Chapel in Cambridge, the Victorian rooms within Warwick, and the bombed out remains of Coventry gave me thought that our predecessors had less value on historical significance than we do now; I felt bitter that I wasn’t seeing anything authentic. All of these notions were completely dispelled with our visit to York Minster this Wednesday.
I was standing underneath the York Minster, reading a plaque that said on my left was a Norman wall and on the right a medieval one, when I came to a new conclusion. The layers of earth from different historical periods—Roman, Norman, and Medieval—made me view the changes of York Minster and other buildings as more necessary and cohesive than obtrusive and mean. The first conquest of what is now Britain was by the Romans, who built a fort at this location. After they left, the Normans invaded in 1066, fought their way north, and established their religious building here shortly thereafter. Eventually it was transformed into the larger medieval cathedral that is York Minster as we seen it today. As each new settler came in, they demolished old buildings and built theirs literally on top of the ruins. There was no reason, at the time, why they shouldn’t—it was a prime location with foundations already laid. Looking down a well that showed the different layers, I might as well have been looking in a time capsule; yet, I realized that buildings in themselves do not have a “time period.” True, they were produced in a certain era and a certain style, but as they are affected and redesigned by changing cultural ideals, they represent the passage of time from their creation to the present. After we have made our own marks on history, our structures will be left behind for future generations to appreciate and alter.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Guest Lecture: British Higher Education
Our lecture on Tuesday from Dr. Taylor provided our group with an understanding of the historical and current system of higher education in Britain. There were some similarities to America’s colleges, but the differences were more significant. The principal contrast is the smaller tuition fees for English students. Up until 1998 higher education was free to students (and not to taxpayers), but lack of funds caused the yearly price of all universities to be set at £3000. This was shocking to us because we pay around $7,000 a year for tuition only at Western Kentucky University. It seems that in America universities are concerned with 1) Monetary gain, whether it is through student fees or alumni donations, 2) Prestige/Academic achievements 3) Sports teams. In Britain, they seem more focused on education or trade, depending on the school. Obviously though they value ranking and reputation as well—Oxbridge being the prime examples.
British universities, though this is a generalization, do not seem to be as concerned with enrollment numbers as American universities. This is probably because of the higher standards of admission at many schools and an already set number of spots. It was interesting to hear about how the grammar schools affected student’s ability to attend university or not. We see a prime example of lower standards but a focus on numbers at WKU: the extremely low admission requirements are a 2.0 grade point average or a 16 on the ACT. Aside from this making us one of the largest universities in the state, I feel that it lowers the value of the undergraduate degree. Another contrasting note was that British students are encouraged to attend university away from their hometown to experience another part of the country, whereas the individual American states, Kentucky in particular, want to retain as much of their educated population as possible. Other than these main differences, higher education in Britain and the States seems pretty similar.
British universities, though this is a generalization, do not seem to be as concerned with enrollment numbers as American universities. This is probably because of the higher standards of admission at many schools and an already set number of spots. It was interesting to hear about how the grammar schools affected student’s ability to attend university or not. We see a prime example of lower standards but a focus on numbers at WKU: the extremely low admission requirements are a 2.0 grade point average or a 16 on the ACT. Aside from this making us one of the largest universities in the state, I feel that it lowers the value of the undergraduate degree. Another contrasting note was that British students are encouraged to attend university away from their hometown to experience another part of the country, whereas the individual American states, Kentucky in particular, want to retain as much of their educated population as possible. Other than these main differences, higher education in Britain and the States seems pretty similar.
Stratford
I’ll start off my reflections on our visit to Stratford on a positive note. I learned that Shakespeare’s father’s occupation as a glove maker, among other trades, influenced Shakespeare to reference the trade many times in his works. The woman telling us this gave the example of a mention of a man’s beard as shaped like a glove maker’s knife. Only a person acquainted with the trade would know what this looked like; because unlike what you would expect, the knife is not long and pointed but it’s actually a circle. This bit of information made me realize that Shakespeare, however brilliant, too had to learn, and this gave him a more tangible, realistic relevance. After this trip, I also am now inspired to read more of Shakespeare’s plays. I have read a few tragedies, but I want to read the comedies, specifically A Midsummer Night’s Dream and As You Like It.
But it’s a sad day when the birthplace of the most magnificent poet and author in history, who has even shaped the English-speaking world as we know it, is more concerned with fashion shops and eateries than with the extraordinary merit of being Shakespeare’s hometown. Like most of us in our group, I too thought the doors after the first Shakespeare video were going to open upon a museum where we could learn in-depth about his life and works. The Shakespearean artifacts seemed of little significance compared to the apparent main focus—varied clips of Shakespeare’s works in film. I found the whole “Shakespeare for Dummies” Hollywood theme of the exhibit, if it could be called that, disappointing and also quite insulting. However it would be a fair assessment to say that the management is undoubtedly catering to the thrill-seeking modern culture. With other options such as going to the movies, I’m sure they want to keep the visitors, and the profits, coming. It is sad, though, that it is our actions that give them this impression. It’s no doubt that if Shakespeare could walk out of his grave and see Stratford today, he would go right back.
But it’s a sad day when the birthplace of the most magnificent poet and author in history, who has even shaped the English-speaking world as we know it, is more concerned with fashion shops and eateries than with the extraordinary merit of being Shakespeare’s hometown. Like most of us in our group, I too thought the doors after the first Shakespeare video were going to open upon a museum where we could learn in-depth about his life and works. The Shakespearean artifacts seemed of little significance compared to the apparent main focus—varied clips of Shakespeare’s works in film. I found the whole “Shakespeare for Dummies” Hollywood theme of the exhibit, if it could be called that, disappointing and also quite insulting. However it would be a fair assessment to say that the management is undoubtedly catering to the thrill-seeking modern culture. With other options such as going to the movies, I’m sure they want to keep the visitors, and the profits, coming. It is sad, though, that it is our actions that give them this impression. It’s no doubt that if Shakespeare could walk out of his grave and see Stratford today, he would go right back.
Cambridge University
The tour of Cambridge University, specifically King’s College, gave insight into the British Higher Education system in today’s time as well as in the past. I thought the main benefit of the trip was our knowledgeable 85 year-old tour guide who could get us away form the crowds (and shush them if necessary). In the strikingly magnificent King’s Chapel, I was very interested in the differences in architecture according to which King was financing its construction at the time. Originally started by King Henry VI, he only had the finances to build about two feet up from the foundations. When King Henry VII took over the construction, our tour guide said that the church became less of a religious building and more of an homage to King Henry VII and his family. This made me contemplate the historical connections between religion and wealth.
One of my first reactions of the city Cambridge was to notice the startling numbers of foreign tour groups and families—from hordes of Asians to Fabio. I realized that a number of famous scientists, authors and poets have attended Cambridge over the years, from all over the world, giving it international importance. This is the alma matter of a famous Chinese poet, Watson and Crick, Issac Newton, Patrick Bronte, and Lord Byron. The different colleges within Cambridge like King’s and Trinity seemed like they are based on family status and donations more than anything, though no one mentioned it outright. On the other hand, it seemed ridiculous that the cost of attendance is only 3,000 pounds a year if you are accepted. This was quite depressing because in America people pay 5 times that a semester sometimes to go to a lesser university.
It was interesting to make the connection between the longtime rivals Oxford and Cambridge when learning Cambridge was founded after a riot in the 1200s when students were tried for murder and executed. Along these same lines, the long-held rivalry between the townspeople and the university scholars is seen in our reading of “The Reeve’s Tale” by Chaucer. Chaucer makes both the miller and the Cambridge students swindle and thieve in his tale, though the miller is financially greedier and worldlier than the two pedantic scholars. This describes the two stereotypes that are probably still held today amongst the groups. One of my first reactions of the city Cambridge was to notice the startling numbers of foreign tour groups and families—from hordes of Asians to Fabio. I realized that a number of famous scientists, authors and poets have attended Cambridge over the years, from all over the world, giving it international importance. This is the alma matter of a famous Chinese poet, Watson and Crick, Issac Newton, Patrick Bronte, and Lord Byron.
One of my first reactions of the city Cambridge was to notice the startling numbers of foreign tour groups and families—from hordes of Asians to Fabio. I realized that a number of famous scientists, authors and poets have attended Cambridge over the years, from all over the world, giving it international importance. This is the alma matter of a famous Chinese poet, Watson and Crick, Issac Newton, Patrick Bronte, and Lord Byron. The different colleges within Cambridge like King’s and Trinity seemed like they are based on family status and donations more than anything, though no one mentioned it outright. On the other hand, it seemed ridiculous that the cost of attendance is only 3,000 pounds a year if you are accepted. This was quite depressing because in America people pay 5 times that a semester sometimes to go to a lesser university.
It was interesting to make the connection between the longtime rivals Oxford and Cambridge when learning Cambridge was founded after a riot in the 1200s when students were tried for murder and executed. Along these same lines, the long-held rivalry between the townspeople and the university scholars is seen in our reading of “The Reeve’s Tale” by Chaucer. Chaucer makes both the miller and the Cambridge students swindle and thieve in his tale, though the miller is financially greedier and worldlier than the two pedantic scholars. This describes the two stereotypes that are probably still held today amongst the groups. One of my first reactions of the city Cambridge was to notice the startling numbers of foreign tour groups and families—from hordes of Asians to Fabio. I realized that a number of famous scientists, authors and poets have attended Cambridge over the years, from all over the world, giving it international importance. This is the alma matter of a famous Chinese poet, Watson and Crick, Issac Newton, Patrick Bronte, and Lord Byron.
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