July 8th -
So begins, on this rather sunny Monday morning, a class that begins meeting along the River Thames at a rather cheerful pier. Instructed to meet here by Matt, our young British professor, we set off for our intended destination further up the river: Hampton Court Palace.
Above, Matt and Cath, the British Culture and Society professor and Study Abroad Coordinator, chat as we get underway.
Panorama! A view of the alluring Thames as we travel by ferry.
Riverside homes of the Thames go for close to half a million pounds apiece.
With the early morning air and the swift moving river below us, we finally arrived at our destination thoroughly chilled. As I can imagine Gulliver laying eyes upon El Dorado for the first time, much was my initial reaction to seeing the imposing and opulent Hampton Court Palace.
Its size is beyond the capture of a single image. Gold leaf outlines much of the outer gates of the Palace.
Even a panorama fails to capture its full size and glory...
Our group split into two separate touring groups, with my own group A going first. We were met by the kindest English lady, who has spent her life studying the specific history of Hampton Court Palace as well other places of importance of the 1500's.
The Palace, originally built for the courtier Thomas Woolsey in 1514 as a physical symbol of his own power and wealth, has since become a royal palace that at one time in the 1800's held the royal family. Woolsey, unfortunately, was so powerful and wealthy that he drew the ire of the royal family in the late 1500's, resulting in his sentencing to the Tower of London. To his benefit, he died in the carriage to the Tower, as if he had not, he surely would have been beheaded
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The inner courtyard of the Palace.
Written words were understood by precious few in the 1500's. These symbolic carving were used in their stead. Here we see the once red dragon of Wales and the white dog of Richmond, paired underneath the symbolic Crown.
Kings and Queens have not always ruled England, and in fact had to gain power away from the aristocracy that prevailed in the time. Unlike in France, the aristocracy was terribly impressed with the sort of people like Woolsey, who used their fortune and power to gain social acceptance and even import. Hampton Court Palace was Woolsey's embodiment of modernism and power, and it is reflected in the structures that surround the palace.
Flue chimneys were the peak of innovation, and Hampton Court Palace is littered with them. Each of roughly 150 Tudor age chimneys are unique in the brick work, so as to bring guests attention to the modernism of the Palace.
But, simply inviting the courtiers to follow along the aspiring Kings and Queens would not elevate them enough. So, they would put on lavish feasts, with the aspiring King or Queen only being seen rarely. There were even special times to for the invited aristocracy to watch the the aspiring Queen or King eat, typically consuming such ridiculously opulent meals as stuffed peacock or gold leafed cake.
Our guide shows one of the four Great Fireplaces. This one has been filled in, but notice how large it once was.
Inside one of the guard houses, and the 18th century glass that was installed during the tenure of the Royal families.
But the Palace was only the beginning of the money Woolsey and that Palace's later tenants put into it. About 40 acres of beautiful gardens and meticulously groomed forests surround the palace. Points of interest include the private gardens, the ancient hedge maze, and of course the oldest grape vine in the world.
The centre of the hedge maze. The secret to getting there: take only right turns!
Part of the private gardens.
After spending the entire morning and part of the afternoon at the palace, we were turned loose to find our own way back into Kingston University to debrief and begin further discussion. While I will not recount the entire lesson here, there was a number of really interesting topics that we covered, including the British political system as well as the class divide that exists here in the UK, similar to the racial divide in America. Our professor has an amiable habit of asking us our own experiences as Americans and he attempts to piece together an idea as much as we do of Britain.
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July 9th,
Sherlock Holmes and JRR Tolkein. Doctor Who and JK Rowling. Muggle Madness, my second course here at Kingston, is taking in-depth looks at both characters and authors, (often times inseparable), and walking through the historical contexts that have built these heroes that have stood the test of time.
Try and imagine: its 1985 and the Cold War is just ramping up. Patriotism for the British people is at an all time low, with significant government figures turning out to be Soviet Spies. Heroes who are good and brave at heart have no place in this world of distrust and paranoia. Citizens are watching their backs, and are not afraid to do something unspeakable if it means survival. Moral guidelines have been blurred, and it is at this time of history that Ian Fleming has begun to write his famous figure into being.
Bond. James Bond.
The suave and agile British Agent, going about his duties with extreme prejudice. And by whatever means necessary...
As a testament to the continued importance of such a figure, our class paid a visit to 45 Wellington Road, Covent Garden, London to see some impressive sights. This address is the current location of the Bond in Motion exhibit, showing off famous vehicles used by the titular character throughout his many exploits. Below are several pictures of the more 'action-y' vehicles.
An original script for James Bond.
Bond is a character that many critics have argued brings out the absolute worst in people. One critic went so far as to say "three basic ingredients" exist in the Bond series, that of "sadism of school boy bully, the mechanical two-dimensional sex-longings of a frustrated adolescent, and the crude, snob-cravings of a suburban adult".
And while it is true that these elements can be seen in the earlier James Bond series, and even movies, Bond is nevertheless a British hero during its time of need. And what is more, an evolving hero that has continued to stand the relentless test of changing tastes and views, and who has finally become woven into not only the culture of the English, but the much pickier culture of the World.
- The Amiable Tyler
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