University of Science & Technology Meghalaya celebrates William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon’s 453rd birthday

27th Apr, 2017 134

Dr. Asha Kuthari Choudhury, Professor, Department of English, Gauhati University, also chief guest of the program, had talked about how Shakespeare’s plays are still so relevant and have an overpowering influence on the entire gamut of theatrical studies or any other performing arts.

23nd April, 2017, USTM : The department of English, University of Science & Technology Meghalaya had observed Shakespeare’s 453rd Birth Anniversary today through a Talk on Shakespeare’s dramatics. The idea was to give impetus to literary discussion on Shakespeare, his dramatics, his poetry and above all the literary tradition of the Elizabethan period, its histrionics, its marked shift from Greek Nemesis to individualism and freedom within. USTM Techno City campus got resonated today with the dialogues from Shakespeare, staring from ancient Greek and Roman theatre to Italian Renaissance. How this change of ethos was instrumental in the development of the new drama, which was then beginning to make apart from the old mystery and miracle plays of the Middle Ages. How William Shakespeare stands out in this period both as a playwright and poet and for that matter, one excerpt from one of his remarkable plays may be quoted : “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day/ To the last syllable of recorded time/ And all our yesterdays have lighted fools/ The way to dusty death”- those were the perspectives for today’s discussion.

On this grand occasion, Dr. Asha Kuthari Choudhury, Professor, Department of English, Gauhati University, also chief guest of the program, had talked about how Shakespeare’s plays are still so relevant and have an overpowering influence on the entire gamut of theatrical studies or any other performing arts. She had reminded the students one famous quote of the founder of theatre of cruelty, Antonin Artaud “We are not free. And the sky can still fall on our heads. And the theater has been created to teach us that first of all”. Dr. P G Rao, VC, USTM had delineated how theatre as the oldest form of art can be used as a mode of communication or disseminating messages to the audience or society as a whole. Mr. Kapil Bora, Assamese actor, anchor had enthralled the audience with his overwhelming rendition of a dialogue from Romeo & Juliet “ What lady is that, which doth enrich the land/ O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!/ It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night/ Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear/ Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!’.

The students of the department of English had performed selected portions of The Merchant of Venice where the characters of Antonio, Portia & Shylock were delineated so powerfully with their strong stage presence, assertion of the dialogue and spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.

Issued by

The Office of Communication & Public Relations

University of Science & Technology Meghalaya

Techno City Campus, 9th Maile, Khanapara

Meghalaya

Ph : 8486074265/0361-2895030