Three characters from history whom I would like to meet
In the “Time Machine” we have a contrivance that H.G.. Wells imagined would enable its owner to travel up and down the corridors of time, jumping from one age to another, witnessing perhaps one event of history on one occasion, meeting a hero of the past or another. If, I had such wonderful machine, I would use it to meet these three fascinating characters from history : Alexander the Great, William Shakespeare and Mahatma Gandhi.
Picture to yourself a vista of rugged, rocky mountains whose inhabitants have been made hardy by their environment. in a city among these Macedonian highlands, a wedding east was held or two thousands years ago. Philip, the king was celebrating his daughter’s marriage. The occasion was, however, marked by tragedy. In the midst of the revelries, Philip was assassinated.
Philips’ place was taken over not without a struggle — by his son Alexander. The latter was determined to carry on his father’s work of conquest. Phillip had unified Greece. he had welded all the various, loosely-knit Greek armies into powerful fighting force. Alexander was to use this force to conquer the world.
Within two years of his father’s death, Alexander was on the march. In eleven years, he had won for Greece, the mighty Persian Empire, conquered Egypt and led his armies to the banks of the Indus. on his way back to Greece with his armies, Alexander contracted a fever in Babylon, and died. The fragmentation of Alexander’s empire followed swiftly on the conqueror’s death — testifying to the extraordinary personality of the one man who could hold such vast and various territories in unity.
The greatness of Alexander lay in his tremendous vision of world unity — unity under the influence of Greek arms, but primarily under the influence of Greek language, Greek thought, Greek culture. Alexander deliberately tried to make West and East one. He adopted Persian symbols of grand kingship, trained Persian officials for entry into administrative offices, encouraged inter-marriage between Greeks and Easterners, and tried to establish commerce on an international scale by facilitating communications between the Nile, the Tigris, and the Indus on the one side, and the Mediterranean on the other.
Alexander’s work was cut short by his death. History shows us that until today, men have continually striven to establish world unity. If Alexander has failed, none others have so far succeeded after him.
However divided men may be , the desire for entertainment knows no boundaries. Russian ballet troupes have performed in England, and American symphony orchestras have traveled the east. A few years ago, a Chinese film was played to capacity houses in Singapore and its run lasted some months — a record for this city. The film was based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Its popularity should not be surprising. Shakespeare commands an audience anywhere. That his plays are acclaimed with enthusiasm, both beyond the bamboo and beyond the iron curtains, is a comforting indication of a universal instinct in man.
Shakespeare’s themes are universal. This striking quality of his success is an inspiration to those who feel too conscious of their literary shortcomings because of a lack of higher education. Shakespeare came skimpily through a grammar school — what there was of it at that time. In dramatic lusture, his plays outshone those of the so-called “University Wits” of his day.
Shakespeare probably saw that there was no substitute for real hard work. He pitted strenuous labor and skilled enterprise against the academic training of his theater rivals. when Shakespeare was not engaged in touching up old plays or writing new ones, he found himself producing them or acting them or seeing to the business management of a theater or of a theatrical troupe. Shakespeare won popularity through hard work at giving the people what they wanted — entertainment; at the same time, he confirmed his successes by giving his audiences what was wholesome and thought-provoking. To entertain and to teach was Shakespeare’s aim : he was not unconscious of his social environment. Shakespeare’s comedies still make us laugh at human follies; his tragedies show how human weakness may lead to disaster. in all cases, his stories leave us with a sense of satisfaction and peace.
It is a far cry from Shakespeare to Gandhi-ji. But India’s humble saint knew Shakespeare well and admired him. Shakespeare would have reciprocated Gandhi’s sentiments, if he could have met him. Gandhi’s life amply illustrates the importance of peace and a balanced outlook in life. A fighter in the campaign to bring peace and justice in human relations to India. Gandhi’s weapons were not the bomb and the bullet, but peaceful though determined resistance to arrogant and deluded men. He fought against man’s inhumanity to man. He laid down his life in the struggle. No greater love could any other man show for the principles Gandhi held so dear.
Gandhi’s example bore fruit — even with his death. India, today plays a leading role in attempting, on a firm basis of reason and negotiation, to secure peace between contending factions in the world today. There is no other figure in modern times, which has given mankind such an example of humility, patience and charity in the practical business of day-to-day living as Gandhi’s had. Millions in India have become disciples of peace and advocates of considerate living through the example precept of the great Gandhi. Gandhi’s good teaching transcends the boundaries of religion and the barriers of race. All may learn from Gandhi. If his principles, which are simply the practical reiteration of the principles of the great world religions, are not accepted by the world’s great men, then civilization is certainly facing a bleak prospect. An irrefutable conclusion is that civilization has to learn such lessons as Gandhi taught.
Alexander dreamed of world unity; Shakespeare appealed universally to the hearts of men; Gandhi showed how right thought and good feeling may be translated into common action. With such tutors, the lesson can surely be learnt.
