Lonely and Recluse: Shakespeare and the Prisoners

Today, we enjoyed a tour through the city of London spotting various historic Shakespeare sites. We were able to put ourselves into the shoes of the famous playwright walking into a church he attended and standing near the spot where one of his houses once stood. I thought it was most interesting to learn more about the man behind the famous scripts. The tour guide described his belief that Shakespeare was a secret bisexual and catholic. These characteristics would have lead to his arrest and possible execution causing him to hide his religion and sexuality. However, the effects of his secret life appeared throughout his work. Specifically, he was the first to use the words “lonely” and “recluse” in writing. His creation of these words show a deeper meaning into the darkness he may have felt in the hiding of his true identity.

We then headed to the Tower of London. Functioning as a prison, palace, armory, fortress, and now a tourist destination, the tower is rich in history. We walked the winding staircases and narrow halls learning about the torture tactics used on prisoners, the multiple executions, and the royals who were in command of the tower. One story I found rather interesting was told in the Bloody Tower. The two sons of King Edward IV were moved into the tower by their uncle following the death of their father. Shortly after, the two boys were never seen again and their uncle, King Richard III, took the throne. It is believed that they were killed in order to eliminate competition to the throne. Though the remains of two children were found on the grounds of the tower, they have never been identified. This remains an open case. It is both fascinating and terrifying to learn of the evils that took place in the very place we stood.