Ay, madam, but why is it common?

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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/download
  s/corpus_linguistics/

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Hamlets Keywords?

• Revenge
• Madness
• Incest
• Silence
• Words, words, words
• Memory/Forgetting
• Disease/corruption (imagery/motifs)
• Land/plots/space
• Delay/Action

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MS
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Our Research Aims
Work in progress

1. To investigate KWs in all of Shakespeare's plays
2. To come up with explanations for the patterning
   of these KWs
3. To home in on one particular KW in one play,
   Hamlet

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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

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• Typically KWs reflect
• aboutness
• style
• but sometimes they pose a challenge

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Shakespeares KWs

• Investigating Romeo and Juliet for Scott and
  Tribble (2006)
• All Shakespeare plays is a suitable reference
  corpus
• A large number of KWs are proper nouns
  characters in that play
• Others
• theme KWs (love, death etc.)
• exclamations
• pronouns
• copula verbs

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Methods

1. Obtain all plays (OUP 1916 edition)
2. Convert to .txt
3. Use WordSmiths WordList tool to compute
   word-lists
4. Use KeyWords tool to compute KWs for each using
   all the plays as a reference corpus
5. Export the KWs for each into an Excel spreadsheet
6. Repeat 3-5 for all characters
7. Identify KW types understand why they are key

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HTML from Online Library of Liberty
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the HTML source

• ltp class"p-no-indent1"gtThou know8217st
  8217tis common all that live must die,ltspan
  class"milestone_right" title"Craig1916_line_72"gt
  72lt/spangtlt/pgt
• ltp class"p-no-indent1"gtPassing through nature to
  eternity.lt/pgt
• lt/divgt
• ltdiv class"sp"gtltspan class"ital_speaker"gtHam.lt/s
  pangt
• ltp style"margin-top -0.5em"gtAy, madam, it is
  common.lt/pgt
• lt/divgt

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Clean up process

• Convert to XML (Dreamweaver)
• Custom program
• Remove standard headers
• Convert to Unicode
• Replace markup such as know8217st with
  knowst
• 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

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Cleaned up

• ltQUEENgt lt7gt
• 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.
• lt/QUEENgt
• ltHAMLETgt lt7gt
• Ay, madam, it is common.
• lt/HAMLETgt

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WordSmith Processing

• Wordlists
• of all the plays
• of each play (batch, 37 lists)
• of each characters speeches (batch, 1313 lists)

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KeyWords

• Using the first wordlist as the reference corpus
  and exporting results to Excel, make KW lists
• of each play (batch)
• of each characters speeches (batch)
• and KW databases of the plays the characters

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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

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MD
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It as Keyword?

• A mot(e) it is to trouble the minds eye.
• Hamlet 1.1.111 (Q2)
• Is it possible to see it as a literary keyword?
• Dramatic function?
• Linguistic function?
• Significant? Or no matter?

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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

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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

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Macbeths 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)

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Hamlets 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

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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.

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Speak to It

• 1.1.41-51
• Mar. Thou art a Scholler speake to it
  Horatio. Barn. Lookes it not like the King?
  Marke it Horatio. Hora. Most like It harrowes
  me with fear wonder Barn. It would be spoke
  too. Mar. Question it Horatio. Hor. 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 GhostMar. 'Tis gone, and will not
  answer.

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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.

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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.

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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

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It and syntax

• Sentence structures it as antecedent/dummy
  subject
• Discursive
• Passive
• Complex relationships within sentences
• Ambiguity/lack of clarity?

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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

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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.

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Hamlets 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.

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Hamlets 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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Lord. Hamlet.

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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 Saint. 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.

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Now Ill doot

• 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

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Character Echoing

• Hamlet Horatio
• Claudius Polonius
• Hamlet Laertes

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Hamlets 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

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MS
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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

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Itmost Characters

• Why is IT key in the speeches of Prince Hamlet?
• In the plays 0.95 (1 word in 100) but in
  Hamlets speeches 1.48 a 50 increase in this
  one characters speeches
• Or in the speeches of Horatio in the same play?
• In the plays 0.95 but in Horatios speeches
  2.33 nearly 250 of the average in this one
  characters speeches!

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a constant theme, or bunched?

• In Hamlets speeches, distributed evenly

• In Horatios speeches

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KW databases
more work needed

• 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)

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Other Plays, Other Keywords
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MD
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Conclusions?

• A mote it is to trouble the minds 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

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The Key of It

• Hamlet a play written in the key of it