USC ‘misspells Shakespeare’ on statue in $700m project

It’s supposed to be the centerpiece of the University of Southern California’s $700 million ‘Village,’ but the new statue of Greek mythological queen Hecuba has left some students scratching their heads.

While the stunningly rendered sculpture – which was unveiled on Thursday – looks great from a distance, a quote on its base has been attributed to ‘Shakespear’s Hamlet’.

To USC officials, it’s much ado about nothing; the school claims that the strange spelling of the world’s most famous playwright is intentional – because of the way the statue looks.

A statue of the Greek queen Hecuba (pictured) was unveiled as the centerpiece of the University of Southern California’s $700m USC Village project on Thursday

However, eagle-eyed students have noticed that a quote from Hamlet at the base of the statue is credited to 'Shakespear' - causing much mockery

However, eagle-eyed students have noticed that a quote from Hamlet at the base of the statue is credited to ‘Shakespear’ – causing much mockery

The curious spelling comes at the end of a quote from Hamlet: ‘And all for nothing— For Hecuba! What’s Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba That he should weep for her?’

The missing ‘E’ was noted by student paper The Den, which wryly commented: ‘USC. The only place in America that can unveil a statue as the centerpiece of a $700 million project and manage to misspell Shakespeare.’ 

But USC was blase. ‘To E, or not to E, that is the question,’ it quipped in a statement.

‘Over the centuries his surname has been spelled 20 different ways. USC chose an older spelling because of the ancient feel of the statue, even though it is not the most common form.’

Whether or not that’s a crafty spot of backpedaling or not, it’s certainly true that Shakespeare’s name has been spelled many different ways over the centuries. 

Shakespeare himself famously spelled it several different times, of course, and academics have wavered on the spelling. 

The university says that it was intentional, because it was a historic spelling of the poet's name, and reflective of the 'ancient feel' of the impressive statue

The university says that it was intentional, because it was a historic spelling of the poet’s name, and reflective of the ‘ancient feel’ of the impressive statue

In the 18th century many scholars chose to use the modern spelling – Shakespeare. 

But in 1785, antiquarian John Pinkerton revived the spelling ‘Shakspere,’ arguing that it was truer to how the poet would have written it.

That became one of the more prominent variations for the best part of 100 years, with even the London publisher Bell using it in its publications of the plays.

But in the mid-19th century trends moved back towards Shakespeare with an ‘E,’ and that has since become the standardized spelling 

The statue of Queen Hecuba, created by Chrisopher Slatoff, was unveiled at Thursday’s opening of the school’s new USC Village.

The Village is an 15-acre project containing accommodation, shops and restaurants, including a Target and a Trader Joe’s.

A mythological queen of Troy, Hecuba was chosen by USC President CL Max Nikias to provide a counterpoint to ‘Tommy Trojan’.

Tommy is the university’s current mascot; Mikias hopes Hecuba will stand as a counterpoint to his muscular masculinity and represent other students at the school.

Hecuba - a mythological queen of Troy - was chosen to be a counterpoint to USC mascot Tommy Trojan, in the hope that she would represent female students

The Tommy Trojan statue is a landmark for USC students

Hecuba – a mythological queen of Troy – was chosen to be a counterpoint to USC mascot Tommy Trojan (right), in the hope that she would represent female students

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