Blog Post #3, Taylor Hebert

I was lucky enough to not have to struggle to initiate an out of the blue Shakespeare conversation in my service learning. One of the people I work with just brought it up for me basically. It happened like this: a new girl started working the register because the previous one had graduated her program at bridge house, which is excellent. She asked me what my name was and I why I was there. After explaining how I was not a resident, but volunteering for a service learning class, she asked which class. Mind you, I am doing service hours for two classes this semester. The other class is entitled ‘Voice and Movement.’ Though both that and Early Shakespeare are untraditional classes to include a service learning component, I thought Shakespeare would be the easier of the two to explain.

            It turns out that she loves Shakespeare, though she regrets that she hasn’t read more. She went to Delgado Community College for two years after high school with the plan of receiving her Associate of Arts (AA) degree, but took to many English literature and creative writing electives to graduate in time, and then she ran out of money. She told me that her favorite was Midsummer Night’s Dream, even though she knows that that’s everyone’s favorite.

            I don’t know if this was just a situational lapse of fate, or a near consensus of those who have experienced Shakespeare. But this goes to show how Shakespeare is a cultural institution, especially for lovers of language and lovers of English. As for it being considered ‘high brow,’ I’m not sure though if I ventured out and tried to initiate a Shakespeare conversation with other residents I would get the same enthusiasm that I received from her. I think this also has to do with the particular agency that I am working at. Addiction doesn’t have a face, it affects people from all walks in life. Yes, Bridge House is free and not a ‘high brow’ rehabilitation center for those who are court ordered or low income, but from the other conversations I had with this girl, my understanding is that she is at Bridge House on her own accord, and she isn’t going to tell her family until she is out. This case is very different than someone at Bridge House on Drug Court.

             Classroom time in Early Shakespeare has informed my approach to service learning by showing me the human side of Shakespeare’s writing. I have found this more and more through reading the History plays. Shakespeare treats these historical royal figures with the hand of Humanist playwright. He gives them real flaws and desires, and the characters (Especially in the Henry plays)are self conscious of their own mortality as are the laypeople of Eastcheap. Reading Shakespeare as a humanist has changed my entire conception of his writings and what it attempts to accomplish. I have taken this in stride for my work at Bridge House.