Seeing (Some More of) the Sights: D.C.

 After brunch, I began the day with the Will & Jane exhibit at the Folger Shakespeare Library. It covered the works, biography, cult of celebrity, and growth in popularity of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen. The exhibit discussed how Austen was influenced by Shakespeare: she included him in her own works, attended performances of his plays, even lived down the street from a gallery that only held paintings of scenes from his works for a time. While not a comparison of the two, each display held themed artifacts and pieces from each writer: items from under their floor boards, parodies of their novels, clothing items with their faces or writings printed thereon, film adaptations, versions handed out to soldiers, etc.

Not sure they quite thought through the cover...

It was a really interesting exhibit, especially to compare with things I already knew about Jane Austen and pieces I'd seen originals of at her house when I visited, like her turquoise ring. Jane only owned 3 pieces of jewelry, and when I visited it was the first time they'd all been together since her death. I was surprised they loaned it out, but turns out this one was a replica Kelly Clarkson had purchased. There was a screen with a selection of British actors and clips from the parts they'd played in a Shakespeare and Austen production (i.e. Laurence Olivier in Pride & Prejudice and Hamlet; Alan Rickman in Sense & Sensibility and reading Sonnet 130). And when I first walked in the building the woman at the front desk said, "Don't miss the shirt." So I found the shirt. On display, Colin Firth's lake scene shirt, and on the scene behind an endless loop of it and reproductions of the lake scene. 

I loved this quote at the end of a display on fan continuations of the stories these famous writers can no longer write themselves: "Fans are not merely passive worshippers of the celebrity of these authors but its creators, producing new art - high and low, bad and good - in continuing celebration of the art of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen." Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, they say. And I loved the tagline on someone's take on Macbeth from 1866(1806?): "Wherein Duncan is murdered, Banquo is murdered, and everything is murdered for the entertainment of the young at merry Christmas time. 

After lunch at Taco Bell (surprise), I went to the Sewall-Belmont House & Museum. I visited Alva Belmont's first house in Newport when I was there this summer, and this new house of hers is certainly different. The Sewall-Belmont House became the headquarters of the National Women's Party in 1929, and currently serves as a museum for all things women's suffrage. I've written several papers on the suffrage movement in the United States and studied the British movement (though I haven't seen the new movie), particularly the violence visited upon both groups of women. I was really excited to see artifacts and hear more about the women involved. Unfortunately, overall, I was disappointed; there were very few things said I didn't already know. On the plus side, it means I did learn something at university. It was still an awesome visit. 

With Susan B. Anthony's desk and Elizabeth Cady Stanton's chair, elongated to fit her bustle. 

Knowing the audience most likely to visit a museum on women's right to vote, they've made every mirror in the building a selfie spot, but with an individual message. I hate the "camera in the photo" selfies, so I didn't take many, but this one has the portraits of some of the most famous US suffragists, so I think I'll keep it. At the bottom of the mirror it says "This is what a leader looks like."

This one says "I stand on the shoulders of the women before me." 

One of the rooms held cartoons from the Suffragist and other suffrage cartoons. I liked this one most. It says "Question: How can this be a 'goverment of the people and by the people' if only 1/2 of the people vote?" In its suffrage context, the meaning is plain. However, as a kid with a PoliSci degree, this was interesting because even for presidential elections, less than 50% of Americans vote, period, making this still a relevant and topical question. 

I really like the idea of the jail door pendants that the suffragists wore after they'd been arrested, but I have done zero things cool enough to deserve it. 

Post-epic-suffrage-artifacts, I was heading to the hip-and-happenin' region of Georgetown. Unfortunately, I took the wrong turn down a street and ended up...

In front of the White House.  Legitimately, I did not plan to end up here. What is my life right now?! I got directions the other day that said "turn left at the Library of Congress." What is this?!?!

Sunset, predominately orange,
over all the things.

On my way home, I was treated to my first D.C. sunset, and it did not disappoint.

Better picture with the Capitol,
but further away.

AND!! I'm actually super excited to continue including posts of Embassy for Embassy Bingo. Today, I saw the Mexican Embassy in this modern building currently in the process of swallowing these two smaller buildings. Stay tuned for my trip to Embassy Row!

P.S. I also acquired a roommate today!