Utkal University to hold competition to mark 400th death anniversary of Shakespeare

BHUBANESWAR: To mark the 400th death anniversary of great playwright

Shakespeare

,

Utkal University

is organizing a unique two-tiered writing contest called "Nothing like the Sun: Shakespeare@400" among the post graduate students of English department. The top two students of the competition will go on a pleasure trip to

Stratford-upon-Avon

in UK, the birthplace of Shakespeare.

“The idea is to rediscover Shakespeare and create interest among the students for his writings that contributed maximum numbers of expressions and usages in English language,” said head of English Department,

Himanshu Mohapatra

.

There will be two rounds in the competition where there will be 50 short questions based on four great tragedies of the bard including Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. In the second round, students will write one essay within 2000 words on the four great plays of Shakespeare. The students will be reviewed and judged on the basis of originality of thoughts, engagement with the Shakespearean experience and language, effective use of resources and elegance of style. The top two finalists will go on a pleasure trip to England.

“For Indian students of English literature , England and its country side and as well as cityscape remains shrouded in mystery due to geographical and cultural distance. Writers of the two best essays would get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit Shakespeare’s country Stratford-upon-Avon and other landmarks,” Mohapatra added.

The results of the preliminary round, which was held on September 1, will be declared on September 20 while second round will be on October 28 and winners names will be announced on November 11.