Ay, madam, but why is it common? Exploring keyness relationships in Hamlet Michael Davies & Mike Scott School of English Joint Language / Literature Research Seminar 12 December 2007 This presentation is at www.lexically.net/downloads/corpus_linguistics/ Hamlet’s Keywords? Revenge Madness Incest Silence Words, words, words Memory/Forgetting Disease/corruption (imagery/motifs) Land/plots/space Delay/Action 2 MS 3 Our Research Aims 1. 2. 3. To investigate KWs in all of Shakespeare's plays To come up with explanations for the patterning of these KWs To home in on one particular KW in one play, Hamlet 4 Corpus Processing Starting Point KeyWords procedure in WordSmith Tools since 1996 compares a wordlist with a wordlist of a reference corpus of texts examines each word-form and compares its frequency as a percentage of the text with the frequency of the same word-form in the reference Most word-forms match, but some are outstandingly frequent or infrequent 5 Typically KWs reflect aboutness style but sometimes they pose a challenge 6 Shakespeare’s KWs Investigating Romeo and Juliet for Scott and Tribble (2006) 1. “All Shakespeare plays” is a suitable reference corpus 2. A large number of KWs are proper nouns: characters in that play 3. Others: theme KWs (love, death etc.) exclamations pronouns copula verbs 7 Methods 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Obtain all plays (OUP 1916 edition) Convert to .txt Use WordSmith’s WordList tool to compute wordlists Use KeyWords tool to compute KWs for each using all the plays as a reference corpus Export the KWs for each into an Excel spreadsheet Repeat 3-5 for all characters Identify KW types; understand why they are key 8 HTML from Online Library of Liberty 9 the HTML source… <p class="p-no-indent1">Thou know&#8217;st &#8217;tis common; all that live must die,<span class="milestone_right" title="Craig1916_line_72">72</span></p> <p class="p-no-indent1">Passing through nature to eternity.</p> </div> <div class="sp"><span class="ital_speaker">Ham.</span> <p style="margin-top: -0.5em;">Ay, madam, it is common.</p> </div> 10 Clean up process 1. 2. Convert to XML (Dreamweaver) Custom program: Remove standard headers Convert to Unicode Replace markup such as “know&8217;st” with “know’st” Find XML markup for Dramatis Personae, build standard list of characters Identify Act and Scene numbers, remove line numbers; separate out stage directions Mark up all speech beginnings and endings Export each speech to a file for each character 11 Cleaned up <QUEEN> <7%> Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not for ever with thy vailed lids Seek for thy noble father in the dust: Thou know'st 'tis common; all that live must die, Passing through nature to eternity. </QUEEN> <HAMLET> <7%> Ay, madam, it is common. </HAMLET> 12 WordSmith Processing Wordlists: of all the plays of each play (batch, 37 lists) of each character’s speeches (batch, 1313 lists) 13 KeyWords Using the first wordlist as the reference corpus and exporting results to Excel, make KW lists … of each play (batch) of each character’s speeches (batch) and KW databases of the plays & the characters 14 Examine KWs Characters: FORTINBRAS, GERTRUDE, GUILDENSTERN, HAMLET, HAMLET'S,HORATIO, LAERTES, OPHELIA, PYRRHUS, ROSENCRANTZ Places: DENMARK, NORWAY Pronouns: IT, T, I, THEE, THOU Themes, events: MADNESS, PLAY,PLAYERS Other: E'EN, LORD, MOST, MOTHER, PHRASE, VERY 15 MD 16 It as Keyword? A mot(e) it is to trouble the mind’s eye. Hamlet 1.1.111 (Q2) Is it possible to see it as a literary keyword? Dramatic function? Linguistic function? Significant? Or no matter? 17 It as Keyword? It: neuter or non-personal pronoun From OE and ME nominative and accusative hit 16th Century: hit/it still interchangeable, but largely it used Thou/You: Pronouns and Modes of address Genitive: its and his and it 18 It as Keyword? It lifted vp it head, and did addresse It selfe to motion, like as it would speake Hamlet 1.2. 212-13 19 Macbeth’s It If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twer well, It were done quickly: If th' Assassination Could trammell vp the Consequence, and catch With his surcease, Successe: that but this blow Might be the be all, and the end all. Heere, But heere, vpon this Banke and Schoole of time, Wee'ld iumpe the life to come. Macbeth (1.7.1-7) 20 Hamlet’s It Ham. […] If it be now, 'tis not to come: if it bee not to come, it will bee now: if it be not now; yet it will come; the readinesse is all, since no man ha's ought of what he leaues. What is't to leaue be-times? Hamlet, 5.2.168-71 21 It-eration in Hamlet 1.4.1-6 Enter Hamlet, Horatio, Marcellus. Ham. The Ayre bites shrewdly: is it very cold? Hor. It is a nipping and an eager ayre. Ham. What hower now? Hor. I thinke it lacks of twelue. Mar. No, it is strooke. Hor. Indeed I heard it not: then it drawes neere the season, Wherein the Spirit held his wont to walke. 22 Speak to It 1.1.41-51 Mar. Barn. Hora. Barn. Mar. Hor. Thou art a Scholler; speake to it Horatio. Lookes it not like the King? Marke it Horatio. Most like: It harrowes me with fear & wonder It would be spoke too. Question it Horatio. What art thou that vsurp'st this time of night, […] By Heauen I charge thee speake. Mar. It is offended. Barn. See, it stalkes away. Hor. Stay: speake; speake: I Charge thee, speake. Exit the Ghost Mar. 'Tis gone, and will not answer. 23 Tis Gone 1.1. 107-122 [Hor.] But soft, behold: Loe, where it comes againe: Ile crosse it, though it blast me. Stay Illusion: If thou hast any sound, or vse of Voyce, Speake to me. […] Stay, and speake. Stop it Marcellus. Mar. Shall I strike at it with my Partizan? Hor. Do, if it will not stand. Barn. 'Tis heere. Hor. 'Tis heere. Mar 'Tis gone. [ Exit Ghost.] 24 It Beckons 1.4.37-47 [ Ghost beckens Hamlet.] Hor. It beckons you to goe away with it, As if it some impartment did desire To you alone. Mar. Looke with what courteous action It wafts you to a more remoued ground: But doe not goe with it. Hor. No, by no meanes. Ham. It will not speake: then will I follow it. Hor. Doe not my Lord. Ham. Why, what should be the feare? I doe not set my life at a pins fee; And for my Soule, what can it doe to that? Being a thing immortall as it selfe: It waues me forth againe; Ile follow it. 25 Tis strange? Thinking it over It and the Ghost: Uncertainty and Identity Thingness: it and the Unnameable Presentness: it and the present Iteration: Repetition and Echo in Hamlet Ambiguity & Discursivity in Hamlet Tis strange: it is unsettling/disturbing 26 It and syntax Sentence structures – it as antecedent/dummy subject Discursive Passive Complex relationships within sentences Ambiguity/lack of clarity? 27 It is common 1.2.66-74 Queen. Good Hamlet cast thy nightly colour off, And let thine eye looke like a Friend on Denmarke. Do not for euer with thy veyled lids Seeke for thy Noble Father in the dust; Thou know'st 'tis common, all that liues must dye, Passing through Nature, to Eternity. Ham. I Madam, it is common. Queen. If it be; Why seemes it so particular with thee. Ham. Seemes Madam? Nay, it is: I know not Seemes: 28 Nay, it is 1.2.74-84 Ham. Seemes Madam? Nay, it is: I know not Seemes: 'Tis not alone my Inky Cloake (good Mother) Nor Customary suites of solemne Blacke, Nor windy suspiration of forc'd breath, No, nor the fruitfull Riuer in the Eye, Nor the deiected hauiour of the Visage, Together with all Formes, Moods, shewes of Griefe, That can denote me truly. These indeed Seeme, For they are actions that a man might play: But I haue that Within, which passeth show; These, but the Trappings, and the Suites of woe. 29 Hamlet’s First Soliloquy 1.2.133-57 Fie on't? Oh fie, fie, 'tis an vnweeded Garden That growes to Seed: Things rank, and grosse in Nature Possesse it meerely. That it should come to this: But two months dead: […] O most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to Incestuous sheets: It is not, nor it cannot come to good. But breake my heart, for I must hold my tongue. 30 Hamlet’s Apology 5.2.177-86 Ham. What I haue done That might your nature honour, and exception Roughly awake, I heere proclaime was madnesse: Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes? Neuer Hamlet. If Hamlet from himselfe be tane away: And when he's not himselfe, do's wrong Laertes, Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it: Who does it then? His Madnesse? If't be so, Hamlet is of the Faction that is wrong'd, His madnesse is poore Hamlets Enemy. 31 Think it no more Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his fauours, Hold it a fashion and a toy in Bloude; A Violet in the youth of Primy Nature; Froward, not permanent; sweet not lasting The suppliance of a minute? No more. Ophel. No more but so. Laer. Thinke it no more: For nature cressant does not grow alone, In thewes and Bulke: but as his Temple waxes, The inward seruice of the Minde and Soule Growes wide withall. […] 32 Fear it [Laer.] Then weight what losse your Honour may sustaine, If with too credent eare you list his Songs; Or lose your Heart; or your chast Treasure open To his vnmastred importunity. Feare it Ophelia, feare it my deare Sister, And keepe within the reare of your Affection; Out of the shot and danger of Desire. 33 Touching Hamlet [Laer] Farewell Ophelia, and remember well What I haue said to you. Ophe. Tis in my memory lockt, And you your selfe shall keepe the key of it. Laer Farewell. [ Exit Laer.] Polon What ist Ophelia he hath said to you? Ophe. So please you, somthing touching the L[ord]. Hamlet. 34 Yong men wil doo't, if they come too't 4.5.56-65 Ophe. Indeed la? without an oath Ile make an end ont. By gis, and by S[aint]. Charity, Alacke, and fie for shame: Yong men wil doo't, if they come too't, By Cocke they are too blame. Quoth she before you tumbled me, You promis'd me to Wed: So would I ha done by yonder Sunne, And thou hadst not come to my bed. 35 Now I’ll doo’t 3.3.65-75 [King] Try what Repentance can. What can it not? Yet what can it, when one cannot repent? Oh wretched state! Oh bosome, blacke as death! Oh limed soule, that strugling to be free, Art more ingag'd: Helpe Angels, make assay: Bow stubborne knees, and heart with strings of Steele, Be soft as sinewes of the new-borne Babe, All may be well. Enter Hamlet. Ham.Now might I do it pat, now he is praying, And now Ile doo't, and so he goes to Heauen, And so am I reueng'd: that would be scann'd […] 36 Character Echoing Hamlet Horatio Claudius Polonius Hamlet Laertes 37 Hamlet’s It Ham. […] If it be now, 'tis not to come: if it bee not to come, it will bee now: if it be not now; yet it will come; the readinesse is all, since no man ha's ought of what he leaues. What is't to leaue be-times? Hamlet, 5.2.168-71 38 MS 39 Other Keywords in Hamlet Characters: FORTINBRAS, GERTRUDE, GUILDENSTERN, HAMLET, HAMLET'S,HORATIO, LAERTES, OPHELIA, PYRRHUS, ROSENCRANTZ Places: DENMARK, NORWAY Pronouns: I, IT, T, THEE, THOU Themes, events: MADNESS, PLAY,PLAYERS Other: E'EN, LORD, MOST, MOTHER, PHRASE, VERY 40 Itmost Characters… Why is IT key in the speeches of Prince Hamlet? In the plays 0.95% (1 word in 100) but in Hamlet’s speeches 1.48%: a 50% increase in this one character’s speeches… Or in the speeches of Horatio in the same play? In the plays 0.95% but in Horatio’s speeches 2.33%: nearly 250% of the average in this one character’s speeches! 41 a constant theme, or bunched? In Hamlet’s speeches, distributed evenly: per 1,000 1 Plot 173 14.67 In Horatio’s speeches: per 1,000 1 Plot 23.74 42 KW databases the KKWs of the plays: I, HER, SIR, YOU, KING, LOVE, SHE, T, THY (6 or more plays each) the KKWs of the characters: SIR, HER, LORD, YOU, MASTER, THOU, CAESAR, MADAM, THY, LOVE, SHE, A, I, OUR, WARWICK (12 or more characters each) 43 Other Plays, Other Keywords 44 MD 45 Conclusions? A mote it is to trouble the mind’s eye It is no matter Mad call I it It likes us well Let it work Do it, England! Wo Es war, soll Ich werden 46 The Key of It Hamlet: a play written in the key of it 47