Beauty and Philosophy

One of the Earls of Warwick and his wife

Warwick Church

First, let me apologize, it has been almost a month since I have updated you on my adventures. School has got to me, the books are piling up and I feel like I'm trying to outrun an avalanche as I skim through one and check the index of another, write a few notes on that one there, and then return them all before I get charged for overdue fees. However, that said, I am learning so much, every day I make a new connection as far as my papers go, and in understanding what it means to be a historian and even, more philosophically, what it means to be part of humanity as it appears in history. The problems sixteenth century England faced were, at face value, very different. But the root problems, struggles between families, with politics, religion, finding meaning and the individual's place ins society, these things have not really changed very much. Its very interesting to see how we have changed and yet our core struggles have remained very similar.

The trebuchet that threw balls of fire

Ok, on to more fun things. In between books, I've made friends with some visiting students from the states. They are taking part in a worldview course with me as well, and we've had some really interesting discussions ranging from conservative politics to the meaning of truth and marriage and family. This last weekend we went to visit Warwick Castle, (pronounced War-ick) this castle is incredible, it dates back to the days of King Alfred the Great, who was before the Norman Conquest. It was the prison for Edward IV during the last years of the War of the Roses, hosted Elizabeth I, Charles I and several other kings and queens of England through the years. The views from the top of the towers are beautiful to the point of tears. Then, and this was amazing, the church in the town of Warwick is the final burial place of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and his second wife, Lettice Knowles. I've read about him for years and now I have stood before the final resting place of his mortal remains. A little ghoulish yes, but I think it is more interesting to see the grave of a person than the birth place because the birth place, usually a house or even the town, has changed so much, but the burial place has been kept as it was. It is a tangible link with that person, however long ago they died, that was the place where they were last seen on this earth.

The pictures in the blog are due to the work of Sam Frieden,
a friend who allowed me to borrow his work.

Now, leaving both the philosophical and slightly morbid, this weekend I have the opportunity with Rotary to visit Blenheim Palace and have tea with Lady Spencer-Churchill, the daughter of the current Duke of Marlborough. Next weekend is the Rotary district conference, and then the week after that is the last week of the term! Hilary has gone by like a flash, I've visited Stratford again to consult a thesis written in the 1960s, seen Shakespeare's grave, gone to Warwick Castle, seen Oxford under snow, had several snowball fights, made snow angels, played timpani for a Saint-Saen's piece and a Schubert piece, and read what feels like half the History Faculty Library. It has been a fantastic time and again, I apologize for not updating you better. I will try over the next weeks to write more, at least a line or two or some pictures. Thank you all, see you later.