Meeting Shakespeare by Samantha

Meeting Shakespeare by Samantha - February 2016 Scholarship Essay

History is not set in stone. We like to assume that the knowledge in our history books is correct, but what we learn is school is based more on imagination than cold, hard data. Much of what we are taught as fact is only an interpretation of fragments of bones and parchment; the truth could be drastically different than what we assume it to be. Getting the chance to speak with a historical figure that could help straighten out some of the mystery around his life would be thrilling, and also give me an insight into his craft, which is why William Shakespeare would be the perfect historical dinner companion.
Shakespeare is known across the world either as a renowned playwright or as that guy whose boring plays you had to read in English class. Yet the man who has been the target of many a high school student’s death threats may not even exist. He could be an entity who represents the work of dozens of playwrights; he could be a front for another artist who wanted to publish his work anonymously. The man known as Shakespeare could be part of a Shakespearean plot to fool the masses, or just a mistake constructed by historians. Either way, having dinner with him would be the perfect way to discover if he is truly the man history purports him to be.
If he truly did exist, then the dinner conversation would be the perfect chance to question him about his works. Even if the Bard himself was not real, someone had to write those plays; I could ask how they came up with such beautiful prose and poetry. No matter your stance on the quality of Shakespeare’s plots, everyone must confess that he was a true master of words, creatively misusing existing words and, when none seemed to fit what he wanted to say, creating his own. Shakespeare would have a wealth of knowledge that could enlighten me on the craft of writing in general, and enhance my writing abilities specifically. No amount of money or logical problems with time travel could equal the benefit of having dinner with Shakespeare.
Getting the chance to put some of history’s mysteries to rest would be an exhilarating experience; the fact that I would get to learn more about writing, which is my lifeblood, would just be an added bonus. When thinking of historical figures to have dinner with, for me, Shakespeare is the only logical decision.