{"id":959,"date":"2017-07-20T13:35:27","date_gmt":"2017-07-20T17:35:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/exhibits\/shakespeare400\/?p=959"},"modified":"2017-07-26T14:35:36","modified_gmt":"2017-07-26T18:35:36","slug":"stratford-upon-avon-a-town-synonymous-with-william-shakespeare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/exhibits\/shakespeare400\/2017\/07\/20\/stratford-upon-avon-a-town-synonymous-with-william-shakespeare\/","title":{"rendered":"Stratford-upon-Avon: \u201cA Town Synonymous with William Shakespeare\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Sydney Vollmer<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ah, summer. A time for frolicking on the beaches, zipping swiftly through busy cities with bright lights, tolerating that toddler kicking your seat on the plane just because it means you\u2019re finally getting to spend some time away from work, and appreciating the Bard? It\u2019s true. Shakespeare\u2019s home, Stratford-upon-Avon, has been relying on tourism to bolster its economy since 1769.<\/p>\n

Garrick\u2019s Jubilee, named after the famous actor David Garrick, was the spark for Shakespeare becoming a destination. The three day festival brought visitors from near and far. It was around that time people got the notion that Shakespeare might be profitable. Shakespeare festivals started cropping up in all corners of the world. By the 1960s, the tourist economy was growing more than ever. Paid holidays were becoming popular, more people owned cars, and planes were becoming mainstream travel options.<\/p>\n

In going on vacation, people were (and still are) looking for ways to escape responsibility and have fun. So why go somewhere to learn? There\u2019s an idea that was brought up by Dennis Kennedy, long-time Shakespeare enthusiast and author, that people vacationing look for \u201cedutainment.\u201d Edutainment is characterized as having no responsibility, but still learning something. Kennedy argues that visiting literary destinations such as Stratford-upon-Avon gives people a feeling that their vacation is more virtuous than others. Because they are connecting with a cultural past, the experience is still immersive and different from their day-to-day, but there is a wholeness that is not present when vacationing in some place like Disneyland.<\/p>\n

No matter the reason people end up choosing Shakespeare as their escape, the fact remains that tourists are relied upon for the Stratford community to thrive, and it is a community dedicated to making itself better\u2014for the sake of its heritage and the sake of those eager to learn. \u00a0Two driving forces that help make this community stronger are the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Shakespeare\u2019s England.<\/p>\n

\"Shakespeare's<\/a>
Shakespeare’s New Place. Source: Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Shakespeare Birthplace Trust<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is an independent charity that is dedicated to the preservation and education about Shakespeare and his world. They work closely with the town council of Stratford-upon-Avon, though they are not funded at all by government agencies. The Birthplace Trust website gives information about various events within the town, attractions, booking options, and more. Their attractions include:<\/p>\n