By RICKY BORDELON

COLUMNIST

Have you ever thought that a whole town could be dedicated to one person?

Could such a town exist where everyone seems to work or in some way contribute to the memory and legacy of its famous residents?

Stratford-upon-Avon is one of these towns.

Last Thursday, as I walked around the small town teeming with Renaissance-style buildings and pubs referencing the most famous characters of the Bard’s plays, I could not help but think, “What kind of person was William Shakespeare?”

Was he the larger-than-life figure that we remember today and study intently in our English classes? Or was he a simple family man, the son of the town glovemaker, who just happened to be the best playwright in the English language?

This pondering brought me to another question: Who really are these famous people that we glorify and revere so intently?

When we consider historical, literary, political or pop culture icons, we often gloss over their imperfections and faults, exalting their accomplishments and accolades.

People like George Washington, John F. Kennedy, Walt Disney and Oprah Winfrey tend to be glorified and placed on a pedestal.

There is a danger, however, in participating in this kind of worshipping. Many times people try to overlook serious character flaws or irresponsible, even offensive, actions in order to create a legend, a “Camelot” of sorts, to have something to celebrate.  Conversely, we simply overlook their everyday lives and interactions with others.

I do not mean to imply that every historical figure has a serious character flaw or that celebrating accomplishments and great historical achievements is something to be frowned upon.  An honest look at and analysis of the lives of great people allows for lessons to be learned and knowledge to be discovered.  It is why they are discussed in our textbooks and continue to influence the world today.

Otherwise, we merely sit and stew upon a mythicized biography, trying to use this as a key tool to understand our lives, our society and ourselves.

Now, obviously, this type of thinking opens up a can of worms: Can history be unbiased?

Will we ever be able to comprehend an entire person’s life and work?

And furthermore, what is the point of examining the lives of others?

Regardless of the answers, either failing to look past some great people’s accomplishments further into his or her life legacy or glossing over the full body of someone’s work can produce a skewed comprehension of the past.