The Shaking Spear

What heads, might have shaken the heads of some, with instant recognition of that which is to follows; while others might be gradually shaking their heads as they read along, following, that which follows.

There is no point in ambling along, without this preamble—in this case the reason why I am here with this shaking spear. So before anything else is written the same is acknowledged. Months ago, when I had been privileged to come out with the ‘posts’ on Wordsworth and words’ worth, immeasurable (“What A Design!”, in four parts), I had been asked by my friend Stevem (on www.theglobalconversation.com), what were my views on the great philosopher and poet with the shaking spear. Well he inspired me, and the inspiration becomes the reason. Inspirations are expressed in innumerable ways and they are the reason behind creations too. At times they come from within, while at other times they come from without.

But despite my best intentions, I could not shake the spear of intentions to materialize, before this moment, when it does. I had scribbled some points and even with them serving as the starting point, as I came here, I didn’t know what I could (and would) be writing on Shakespeare that is dependent on me for its unveiling. Beings like him and Wordsworth have been immortalized by their work. Yet at the same time the fact is that as inexhaustible are their works and contributions, so are the discussions. So I am here, egged on by Stevem, knowing fully well that though nothing depends on me to be revealed in this context.  I come with intent to share what I feel about the man with the shaking spear…William Shakespeare. And thus is added a humble view, to the inexhaustible list of commentators, on his work.  

The spear—his pen(in those days there were no keyboards!)—that shook, all, and enthralled at the same time, embody, through what it produced (his works and philosophy), his merger with life in a unique fashion, resulting in his unique expressions. Well, the spear really spared nothing. It soaked in everything—merging with, and drawing from, life fully—creating creations of immeasurable worth.

The Stage

His famous quip, “This world is a stage…,” is so true and at the same time, at times have a prophetic flavor too. The prophetic quality is experienced as life and its various stages are experienced. In fact the stage in itself varies, with different stages in life. Each stage creates a unique stage, involving specific players, who might not be present in ‘an other’ stage or would be (could be, might be) in a different role.

Stage of stages varies. And at the same time, the same stage is perceived—and thus experienced—as a conglomerate of different stages. Shakespeare understood this absolutely and thus is staged even today, with equal fervor, his plays. Each staging of the same tries to bring out something new, hitherto hidden. Shakespeare continues to—and will continue to—wield his spear The spear pierces the receptive with the etchings of new vision embossed forever, indelibly, as it has, since time immemorial. Truly we are all players, on the stage called world, playing our roles and varying our roles as the stage varies.

All that is staged, in and as life, doesn’t keep us caged in the confines of a single stage. Thus, in a single lifetime many lives are lived, with each stage, and each face of each stage, manifesting the renewal of life, within the same lifetime and hence renewed are we all.

Sushmita Mukherjee,

July 27, 2012