This English prof has over 1,000 artefacts related to Shakespeare

B N Balajee from Mysuru was in the city recently to exhibit his collection and instill appreciation for the Bard of Avon

It is delightful to speak to B N Balajee on all things Shakespeare but also a bit unnerving. You can never predict when the 72-year-old would switch to his ‘teacher mode’. When that happens, expect questions like ‘What is the importance of imagery in Shakespeare’s writings?’ to the commentary ‘One must know English to understand his work’ such as Fair is foul, Foul is fair from ‘Macbeth’, which he delivers impromptu like a theatre actor. He also complains about the ‘M G Road’ English, which is devoid of “correct stress, rhythm and intonation”.

“I was a teacher. I keep on asking questions,” Balajee, who retired as an associate professor of English from St Philomena’s College, Mysuru, admitted over a laugh. He was in Bengaluru over the weekend, exhibiting artefacts and memorabilia related to William Shakespeare, considered the greatest writer in English language and his personal favourite.

At a theatre venue, he was displaying famous quotations by Shakespeare, books on his works, small figurines, posters and tickets of film, theatre and dance shows, a PhD thesis on ‘The Hamlet’, badges, bookmarks and curios — about a thousand pieces, which he had collected from 14 countries and brought in his car called Shakespearewallah.

He lost some artefacts in previous shows — this was his 41st. “Only a reader would have stolen it,” he said simply.

Balajee’s appreciation for Shakespeare began in school, thanks to his father, who would ask him to recite Mark Antony’s speech from ‘Julius Caesar’, but also his Class 11 English teacher, who knew more than 5,000 lines of Shakespeare by heart. Later, in 1984, theatre artiste Lakshmi Chandrashekhar gifted him a card from Stafford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, with lines from his comedy ‘As You Like It’ printed on it. That kickstarted the collection he has today.

“About 450 years since he wrote, Shakespeare still sizzles with his words, metaphors and stories,” Balajee began to explain why he conducts these exhibitions.

“I hope one day people realise that Shakespeare was not just a playwright but a university. Botany, zoology, anthropology, ethics, politics of war, pride, covetousness, gluttony or lechery, you will find everything in his works. Love, violence hatred, bigotry — 90% of stories in Bollywood are the contributions of Shakespeare,” he continued, switching from his Indian English accent to Received pronunciation (Scottish English, which he has trained in), to recite famous verses to illustrate his points. “Shakespeare coined 2,000 new words and hundreds of idioms and phrases like ‘milk of human kindness’,” he added. Also, unique insults, he said pointing to a book that lists them out.

Has he met anybody in these shows who criticised Shakespeare? “Yes, one or two feminists have said that he was a misogynist,” he said. As an academician, he values criticism and cuts a modest figure: “I know only 101 things about Shakespeare.”

He said his aim is to create awareness about the greatness of Shakespearean writing among the young, especially school students. “If one wants to articulate feelings, one must read Shakespeare,” he said and dispensed another piece of advice: “Children must learn to listen first, then read, and lastly, write. We do the reverse in India.”

Contact B N Balajee: 94499 92846