The Robben Island Shakespeare by Matthew Hahn

Abstract

Sonny Venkatrathnam’s ‘Robben Island Bible’ or ‘Robben Island Shakespeare’ has captured the public imagination. The book is a tangible marker of resistance and, for many, an affirmation of the relevance of Shakespeare to a South African context. Venkatrathnam was arrested in 1972 under the under the infamous Terrorist Act and imprisoned on Robben Island. The story of how he obtained a copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare and his ingenious tactics to reclaim and keep it after it was impounded, is well documented. After he convinced a warden that the book was a Hindu Bible by William Shakespeare, it reportedly became a catalytic force in creating a community of learning around political thought on the island. Before his release, he asked prisoners in the single cells to mark a passage of significance to them and sign it. Venkatrathnam’s ‘souvenir’ memorialises an assumed relationship between – amongst others – Mandela, Mbeki, Sisulu, Kathrada and Shakespeare.