Who was the inventor of words like “swindled,” “suave,” “bamboozled,” and “loneliness”? Who lived so mysteriously that his appearance has never been captured in a verifiably accurate portrait? Whose face was plastered on an uncannily large sheet cake during Bard Day at Upper Campus on April 25? None other than England’s national poet, the Bard of Avon, and arguably the greatest writer in the English language—William Shakespeare.
Even though Shakespeare died more than 400 years ago, the esteemed bard is still commemorated annually on his birth and death date, April 23. Pinewood’s own variation of the celebration took place two days later and featured Renaissance attire, Shakespearean insults and compliments, sonnet battles, and Shakespeare trivia.
Junior Esha Joshi, one of the sonnet duelists who walked away with a $10 Starbucks gift card for her performance, shared that her love for Shakespeare propelled her to perform during the celebration.
“He has so many beautiful images in his poetry and plays, and he’s just so fun to read because he talks about a lot of timeless themes, and you can take the opportunity to express those in a different way than you normally would,” Joshi said.
The sonnet Joshi performed was Sonnet 55, a poem about the permanence of love.
“While I was performing, I was thinking, ‘Oh my god, is that actually a word?’” Joshi said.
While some students think of Bard Day as an occasion to appreciate Shakespeare’s literary works, other students see the day as an opportunity to channel their creativity into sartorial elements.
“I’ve always liked to express myself through my clothing,” sophomore Elizabeth Liang, who wore a Renaissance-themed outfit, said.
Senior Marley Thornson dressed up as Ophelia from Hamlet, complete with a bouquet of stargazer lilies. The inspiration for her costume came from an article she read about the portrayal of Ophelia and how the character impacted public perception and diagnoses of female insanity.
“Ophelia typically is in a lighter colored dress; it’s often compared to a wedding dress, and it symbolizes light or purity,” Thornson said. “But this one really famous actress wore a black dress, and it was like a whole different kind of Ophelia.”
English teacher Sabrina Strand, the self-appointed “cake guard,” explained why celebrating Shakespeare four centuries after his death is important.
“He just has had such a big impact on culture,” Strand said. “He created such important words for the human experience, so we pay homage to this man who made tales that live with us forever.”
Whether it be delivering sonnets, dressing up in Shakespearean garb, or gorging oneself with funfetti cake, this tradition and its many activities are well-loved by students.
“So festive, man,” senior Mia Gustavson, a veteran attendee of six Bard Days over the years, said. “It’s like a Renaissance Fair, but at Pinewood.”
