By Sara Martin
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Anyone walking past the Eagle’s Trace library on a Monday evening might be surprised to hear phrases like “be not afraid of greatness,” rather than the Texas twang typically heard around these parts.

But for the past year, the Eagle’s Trace Shakespeare Study Club has been meeting weekly after dinner to discuss the playwright’s works.

Beginning with a question
The group started after Eagle’s Trace resident Evelyn Kohlbrecher asked, “What makes Shakespeare great?”

“It was such a curious question,” says Maisie Cole, a former English teacher who also lives at the Houston community. “I felt it deserved an answer.”

As a result, Cole invited several friends, including Kohlbrecher, to meet regularly to study Shakespeare’s works.

Looking for answers
“The group has evolved since its inception,” says Cole. “It’s a very informal, spontaneous group. We decide what play to study, and each of us reads an act before we come together to discuss it.”

So far, the group has read Macbeth, King Lear, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It. “We have lively discussions,” says Cole. “Each person is finding their own answer to the question of what makes Shakespeare great.”

Continuing to seek
For Kohlbrecher, Shakespeare’s greatness lies in his understanding of the human condition.

“Circumstances change from one century to the next, but we face the same kinds of issues today  that Shakespeare wrote about in his time—war, government, [and] relationships,” she says.

Jim Haring is impressed with Shakespeare’s wit.

“He survived without television’s quick takes and reruns,” Haring says.

Shakespeare’s well-turned phrases also appeal to Pat Kresse, who attends the weekly meetings with her husband, Herman. “I am just astounded at the beauty of the lines,” she says. The appeal of Shakespeare’s plays is not likely to wane anytime soon for these lifelong learners.