On Sept. 5, the Shakespeare Round Table met at the Carter House to begin its 118th year of study. President Helene Weinberger opened this social meeting by welcoming 14 members and four associate members and sharing announcements. Hosetess Megan Arnold and her committee (Michele Raine, Patti Rish, and Margaret Weinberger) served a ganache-iced chocolate Bundt cake garnished with fresh raspberries, accompanied by tea and coffee.
Following dessert, Vice President Patti Rish introduced guest speaker, Dr. Mike O’Shea, who spoke on “Religion in 14th and 15th Century Europe.” Lead pastor of the Waterville Community Church, Dr. O’Shea focused on the complexities of the historical moment in which Shakespeare wrote. His talk briefly traced the history of Christianity, the relationship between government and church, the growth of a struggle for power and, too often, wealth between these two entities, and the emerging protestant reformation of the 16th Century. He concluded that employing a knowledge of these complex factors provides a rich framework for reading Shakespeare’s Henry V, which the group will study this year.
