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The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    Fanfare comes to bone-rattling conclusion with ‘Then and Now’

    In the spirit of Halloween, Fanfare ended with tales of bones and burial grounds, though this spooky story is far from fictional.
    Dr. William Robison, head of the history department, presented a lecture entitled “My Kingdom for a Hearse! The Life, Death and Abandoned Bones of Richard III” on Wednesday, Oct. 30 in Pottle Auditorium, concluding this season’s Then and Now Lecture Series.
    Robison began the lecture with humorous animations while playing a parody of an Alice in Chains song he wrote to suit the theme of the lecture.
    “I find that humor is actually a good teaching tool,” said Robison. “If you attach something important to something that’s funny, people will remember it better.”
    According to Robison, King Richard III’s remains were discovered in September 2012 after having been missing for 500 years, conveniently providing the topic for this year’s Halloween lecture. Historically, Richard III has been portrayed as an evil, monstrous king. While he was by no means perfect, the facts show that he was not much different from other monarchs of his time, according to Robison.
    “Basically what I was trying to do was give a little bit more realistic appraisal of Richard,” said Robison. “When they discovered his body, it sort of stirred up the whole debate again about whether he’s this villainous person or a great king. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.”
    According to Robison, Richard III was accused of murdering Henry VI; Henry VI’s son Prince Edward; his own brother George, the Duke of Clarence and his own wife. None of these accusations are true; however, Richard III was responsible for the deaths of his nephews, Edward V of England and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York.
    Robison’s lecture drew quite a crowd, filling nearly every seat of the Pottle Auditorium. Among the audience was a family of four, all sharing a zest for history.
    “I love that he incorporates the humor into it,” said Angela Cavalier, Southeastern alumni. “He pulls a lot of obscure things out and throws it in there, and those things kind of stick with you.”
    Angela Cavalier’s children are both avid history buffs. Her son, Michael Milton, received a degree from Southeastern in general studies with minors in criminal justice and history and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s in political science. Her daughter, 13-year-old Sara Cavalier explores her interest in history by attending lectures and events at Southeastern.
    “I didn’t really know that much about Richard III at first,” said Sara Cavalier, who dressed as Cleopatra for the lecture. “I didn’t know that he didn’t have a proper burial place like all the other kings.”  
    “I really loved the lecture,” said Milton. “I like how he went back into the genealogy to set up the conflicts to be displayed later.”
    At the end of the lecture, Robison pelted the audience with a fusillade of candy, letting the spirit of Halloween rain down upon all in attendance.
    Angela and Sara Cavalier left the lecture with an enthusiastic “Trick or treat!”
     

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