rrheSha�speare 9\fiws{etter Vo I.38:No.3 "What llewsfi'olll Oxford? Do thesejllsts alld triUlllphs hold?" Richard II 5.2 Summer 2002 Stylometrics and the This Strange Eventful History Funeral ElegyAffair Oxford, Shakespeare, and The Seven Ages of Man By Robert Brazil and Wayne Shore By Christopher Paul tylometrics refers to a growing body of "All the world's a stage" begins one of miseries of human life in much the same S techniques for analyzing written the most famous of Shakespeare's manner as Jaques, in a book which names material assisted by numerical analysis. monologues, the "Seven Ages of Man" the Earl of Oxford on the title page. Stylometrics has been applied in making speech voiced by the acerbic courtier Let us first begin with a briefoverview and refuting attributions of authorship. Jaques in As YO liLike It, Act 2, scene 7. of the origins ofJaques' speech. [Printed Comparative study ofEliza bethan texts As Jaques continues, he dryly and in full on page 15.] The iconography of began after concordances of Shakespeare entertainingly catalogs the ages, the Ages of Man was quite diverse, and his contemporaries were widely beginning with the mew ling infant, often evidencing conflation with the published in the early 20th Century. But it fo llowed by the whining school-boy, Ages of the World, the planets, the wasnot until the advent ofhome computing the sighing lover, the quarreling Deadly Sins, the days of the week, the that these databases could be effectively soldier, the prosing justice, the seasons, Fortune's Wheel, the compared with each other. Vocabulary, shrinking pantaloon, and ending with Pilgrimage of Man, the Danse Macabre, word usage, grammar preferences, and extreme old age, or "mere oblivion." etc. The range of divisions has varied habitual usage of certain constructions all While critics agree that the metaphor from three, four, five, six, seven, eight, have to be quantified. of dividing human ten, all the way to An important exclusionary rule life into periods had twelve ages. 1 applies here: Sim ilarities between long been common, Hippocrates, contemporary texts are taken for the exact inspiration Proclus, and granted. It is the dif(erences that are fo r Shakespeare's Censorinus are all probative. version of the said to have When a stylometric study is discussed, "Ages" is still divided human a comment is sometimes made about what debated. Now it can life into seven computers can or can't do in this area. be shown that three ages, while Framing the issue this way is misguided, and primary sources for Isidore of Seville leads away from constructively evaluating a the Seven Ages favored six. An stylometric process. Computers add nothing speech are linked to illustrated poem, to the stylometric process but speed and the seventeenth Earl along with the efficiency in gathering and manipulating of Oxford. One leg is morality play data. The same studies can be done without Oxford's likely first The Castle of Ju velltus. the Fourth Age, with falcoll, fi'O/II Siella computers, ifone had enough time, and a big hand witness of the Perseverance, enough team. What's important is the renowned Seven Ages of Man mosaic at both in unique manuscript from the first (collt'd all p. 8) the cathedral in Siena, Italy. Additional quarter of the fifteenth century, are among fo oting comes through a 1575 book by Sir the earliest [Middle] English renditions SOS Conference Preview: page 2 Geoffrey Fenton, a translator and touching on the Ages of Man. 2 The late Shakespeare News: page 4 statesman long established by the morality play Mlilldus et In(al1s, which Oxfordian News: page 6 orthodoxy as one of Shakespeare's followed almost a century later and Sanders Portrait: page 9 sources, and a man with close survives in a single print, also adapted this Meet the SOS Trustees: page 16 connections to Edward de Vere. The third theme. A number of illustrations in Book Review: page 17 prop is found in the 1592 publication illuminated mediev al manuscripts Countess Anne's Book: page 18 Axiochlls, which describes the successive depicting various Ages of Man are still (cont'd onp. 12) Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter SUl1ll1ler2002 page 2 Shakespeare Oxford The Shakespeare Oxford Society Newsletter Convenes in the Nation's Capitol Published quarterly by the Shakespeare Oxford Soeiety th 1555 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Outstanding Offerings at the 26 Annual Conference Suite 200 Washington, D.C. 20036 he Shakespeare Oxford Society Kingmaker," and Sidney Lubow will ISSN 1525-6863 T will be returning to the nation's speak on the "Internal Triangle" of Capitol to hold its 26th Annual Shakespeare's Sonnets. Edward Gero Editor: Robert Brazi I Conference, October 10-13, 2002. will speak on "Performing Shakespeare." Editorial Board: Washington, D.C. has hosted the Other presenters include Prof. Albert Katherine Chiljan, Ramon Jimenez, Society'S Annual Conference six times Burgstahler of the Univ. of Kansas, Gerit Quealy, Jack Shuttleworth, Richard Whalen in the past -in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, British researcher Derran Charlton, and 1985 and 1987. In 1987, David Lloyd Peter and Syril Kline speaking on the Phone: 202-207-0281 Kreeger, a Washington lawyer, novel, The Adventures of Master FJ. email: [email protected] businessman, philanthropist, and fellow Also speaking will be SOS President Oxfordian, organized a moot court debate Aaron Tatum, past president Gordon Cyr, All contents copyright © 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Society on the authorship question which was columnist and author Joseph Sobran, presented before a panel composed of Cheryle Sims, Trustee of the G.c . Ford The newsletter welcomes articles, essays, his old friends Harry Blackmun, William Foundation, and Brian Hicks, President of commentary, book reviews, letters and news items. Contributions should be Brennan and their fe llow Supreme Court the DeVere Society ofEngland. There will reasonably concise and, when appropriate, Justice John Paul Stevens. be news of the Society, its plans, its new validated by peer review. The views expressed by contributors do not Several themes pervade the 2002 headquarters, and publications. necessarily reflect those orthe society as a conference topics: (1) The Winter's Tale, A workshop and panel will be offered literary and educational organization. its performance and significance; (2) for local teachers to help stimulate Shakespeare-Oxford's milieu, including interest in teaching the Shakespeare astronomy ofthe period, the politics ofthe authorship at the school level. There will Board of Trustees court and Oxford's part therein, also be an open session of an Shakespeare Oxford Society Shakspere's religion and its effects, Introduction to the Authorship Question Oxford's music, finances, and publications; for interested locals in the D.C. area. L(fetime HOl/orm)' Trustees (3) interpretive and speculative papers on A special guided tour of the Folger Dr. Gordon Cyr Charles Boyle the sonnets, Ham let, and anonymity. Museum will be offered to conference Featured speakers include Prof. Peter participants. 2001-2002 Usher (Pennsylvania State Univ.) on Sponsored by the Gertrude C. Ford BOARD OF TRUSTEES astronomy and Ham let; Dr. Frank Davis Foundation, the 26th Annual President on the dating of Twelfth Night; Bill Farina Conference will be held at the Crystal Aaron Tatum and Dr. Richard Desper, each speaking Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, on The Winter's Tale; Stephanie Hughes which is conveniently located near a First Vice-Presidellf Dr. Jack Shuttleworth on John Webster and The Duchess of subway stop for easy access to Ma(fl; Robert Brazil on Oxford's Books. downtown D.C. The Crystal Gateway is Second Vice-President Peter Dickson will speak on the curious the site of many national conventions, Dr. Frank Davis Stratford tombs and also on the Catholic often televised by C-Span. Conference Recording Secret{//)' controversy. Prof. Alan Nelson will planning is still in progress, but points Wayne Shore preview his upcoming biography of of interest will include the Folger Oxford. Katherine Chiljan will discuss the Shakespeare Library and Theater, the Treasurer Joe C. Peel dating of the Ashbourne Portrait. Sally Library of Congress, and the Kreeger Mosher will present "Shakespeare's Museum. The Shakespeare Theater, Katherine Chiljan Knowledge ofMusic," and Jim Swank will internationally recognized as one of Barboura Flues John Hamill talk on the origins of Rosenkrantz and America's fo remost classical theaters Michael Forster Pisapia Gildernstern. Ramon Jimenez will present and located in downtown D.C., will Gerit Quealy two papers: "Oxford and Lyly" and be presenting The Winter's Tale in James Sherwood "Hel1J)' the Fifth." Dr. Daphne Pearson October. The Conference promises Edward Sisson will elucidate Oxford's fi nancial woes. to be an exciting event in the Susan Sybersma Ron Hess will present "Oxford the Authorship Debate. Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer2002 page 3 The View from Santa Cruz The Santa Cruz Sentinel ral1 a but an English nobleman, Edward de candidates have been forwarded, story 011 Jll ly 14, 2002 entitled Vere,IThEarl ofOxford. including Francis Bacon, the "The debate pl ays 011: Oxford vs. They call themselves the philosopher-statesman, and even Stratford " by Kllrt Hartmann. As the Shakespeare Oxfo rd Society and last Elizabeth I herself. Beyond question, it SOS is fe atured prom inently ill the October some 100 ofthem (two from as has been Edward de Vere whosc piece we offe r the entire story. far away as Vermont) assembled in candidacy has gained the greatest Carmel fo r their 25th annual conference. plausibility and endurance. lthough the numbers are less than Convening in a fo rmer movie palace, Like Ralph Waldo Emerson, who a Afu lly reliable, a decent regard for the Golden Bough Theater, the century ago declared that he could not historic truth permits them to be conference was hosted by society "marry" Shakespeare's life to employed when contemplating a member Steven Moorer, artistic director Shakespeare's work, modern Oxfordians centuries-old literary dispute that has of the Pacific Repertory Theater.