彭蒙惠英语：Much Ado about Shakespeare’s Hometown（在线收听）

Much Ado about Shakespeare’s Hometown

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Shakespeare’s home

Within Shakespeare’s Birthplace, the period furniture is not original, but it does lend insight into 16th-century life in England. One learns, for example, that the canopy over the bed was useful for keeping rats from falling—or leaping— from on high. Precarious sleeping, those Elizabethan nights were, when beds were kept from sagging with a rope strung around the mattress. This, our guide tells us, was the origin of, “Good night, sleep tight.”

Early preservation efforts saved Shakespeare’s Birthplace, as well as the childhood farm home of his wife, Anne Hathaway. This cottage is certainly a worthwhile visit too, with its thatched roof and charming gardens. Five Shakespeare family houses can be visited in Stratford, including his Birthplace, which was bought in the 1800s by farsighted fundraisers: among them, writer Charles Dickens.

Tourism reigns

When visiting Stratford-upon-Avon keep in mind that this town knows which side its scones are buttered on. Shakespeare is the cottage industry here, and amusements range from boat rides along the River Avon to Falstaff’s Experience, a bizarre tour of history hardly related to the Shakespearean character.

The visitor to Stratford, even on a day trip from London, should try to catch a production by the Royal Shakespeare Company. It’s not unusual for a big-name performer like Dame Judi Dench to appear.

In summertime, the town is feverish with tourism. Expect to feel crowded and moved quickly through Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage.

Even so, the town is a pleasant place to visit, with scores of Tudor half-timber buildings and Elizabethan decor in shops. Restaurants and pubs are as appealing as the rest of the town. Try the Dirty Duck for a chummy, cozy pub lunch. The food is a treat—stews, sticky toffee pudding, and delectable quiche.

And coffee lovers, don’t worry: There is a Starbucks-upon-Avon.

Vocabulary Focus

precarious (adj) [pri5kZEriEs] in a dangerous state because not safe or firmly fixed

farsighted (adj) [5fa:saitid] having good judgment about what will be needed in the future and making wise decisions based on this

scores (n pl) [skC:z] a nonspecific large number

Specialized Terms

canopy (n) 在床上方高处的床罩；华盖 a cover over a bed for shelter or decoration

know which side one’s bread is buttered on (idiom) 清楚该往哪边靠拢才有甜头 to know where one’s income, stability or protection come from

scone (n) 烤饼 a small, usually round, bread- like cake made from flour, milk and a little fat

Tudor (adj) 都铎式的 relating to a style of architecture popularized during the 15th century; named for the English royal family that ruled between 1485 and 1603