Shakespeare to be Analyzed by Computer

Discovery Channel: A new study will use computers to analyze stylistics in the works of William Shakespeare in order to determine authorship. Two professors are planning to spend the next two years analyzing Shakespeare's works. So why is this news? They will use "computational stylistics" to look for influences from other playwrights or to help determine who actually wrote the plays. According to Hugh Craig of the University of Newcastle in Australia and Arthur Kinney of the University of Massachusetts in the United States, the computer will be used "to analyze large slabs of different texts to look for similarities or differences in the way words like 'and,' 'the' and 'but' are used."

Some of the plays in question include Edward III and Henry VIII which may have been written by other playwrights or may have been collaborations.

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