* * * * *
2b|~2b
Some more ramblings on Hypertext.
The work I did on the King James Bible [1] was partly a result of wanting to
reference a portion of a much larger work. After I was done with that, my eye
then turned towards Shakespeare. It'd be nice to say something like:
http://literature.conman.org/Shakespeare/Hamlet.III.i.56-64
And get:
> To be, or not to be,—that is the question:—
> Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
> The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
> Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
> And by opposing end them?—To die,—to sleep,—
> No more; and by a sleep to say we end
> The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks
> That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
> Devoutly to be wisht. To die,—to sleep;—
>
Ah, but the problem with Shakespeare, or rather, with the notation used to
reference part of his plays, deals with what constitutes a countable line:
> MARCELLUS.
>
> Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again!
>
> Enter GHOST
>
> BERNARDO.
>
> In the same figure, like the king that's dead.
>
> MARCELLUS.
>
> Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio.
>
> BERNARDO.
>
> Looks it not like the king? mark it, Horatio.
>
> HORATIO.
>
> Most like:—it harrows me with fear and wonder.
>
“Hamlet, I.i.40-44”
It's basically lines that are spoken that are counted. So line 40 is actually
“Pease, break thee off; look, where it comes again!” It's not the line that
says MARCELLUS.
Makes for an interesting project.
[1]
http://literature.conman.org/bible/
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