Meagan Culkin- A Look at Shakespeare's Italy

Last month I went to Italy for 12 days as a Wentworth Fellow. While there, I studied William Shakespeare, specifically focusing on his Italian-set plays. These included The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, and of course, Romeo and Juliet. I centered my focus on the culture and daily life, to determine whether or not I believed that Shakespeare himself had ever been to Italy. This is a common question among Shakespearean scholars, as many will call to question the general terms in which he so often sets his plays. "A city in Italy, A street in Verona, a town square"-- all of these are stage directions continually used throughout his works that caused me to wonder. I was able to take the trip with the help of UNCW and the Wentworth Fellowship and am pleased to say that it was the experience of a lifetime. Every day was packed full of museums, architecture, books, and food, all of which allowed me to learn and grow as a student and a person. This experience was nothing but beneficial, and I would recommend applying for a Wentworth to anyone who is even remotely considering it.