Shakespeare's Queer Analytics: Distant Reading and Collaborative Intimacy in 'Love's Martyr'

Shakespeare's most cryptic poem, "The Phoenix and Turtle," is analyzed in Don Rodrigues' book "Shakespeare's Queer Analytics." He combines queer theory with computational literary studies to argue that Shakespeare may have edited works signed by Chester. The book highlights the collaborative nature of production in "Love's Martyr" and presents data that supports the theory.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 24 February 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Shakespeare's enigmatic poem, "The Phoenix and Turtle," has captivated scholars for centuries. The poem's cryptic nature has led to numerous theories and interpretations, with one of the most intriguing being the possibility that the Phoenix represents Queen Elizabeth, on the verge of death as Shakespeare wrote.

While there is no definitive answer to this question, the poem's symbolism and imagery lend themselves to this interpretation. The Phoenix, a symbol of rebirth and renewal, could indeed represent Queen Elizabeth, who was nearing the end of her reign. The Turtle, on the other hand, could symbolize the Earl of Essex, who was recently executed for treason.

The poem's first appearance in Robert Chester's enigmatic collection of verse, "Love's Martyr" (1601), further adds to the mystery. Chester's collection features a mix of erotic love lyrics by Ben Jonson, George Chapman, and John Marston, as well as work by the much lesser-known Chester. Don Rodrigues' book, "Shakespeare's Queer Analytics," critiques and revises traditional computational attribution studies by integrating the insights of queer theory to a study of "Love's Martyr."

Rodrigues argues that queer theory can provide valuable insights into the collaborative nature of textual production in early modern writers, particularly in the case of Chester. By examining the patterns of deviation and non-normativity in Chester's work, Rodrigues suggests that Shakespeare may have had a significant hand in editing works signed by Chester.

This book is particularly attuned to questions of non-normativity, deviation, and departures from style when assessing stylistic patterns. Gathering insights from decades of computational and traditional analyses, it presents data that supports the once-outlandish theory that Shakespeare may have had a significant hand in editing works signed by Chester.

At the same time, "Shakespeare's Queer Analytics" insists on the fundamentally collaborative nature of production in "Love's Martyr." Rodrigues develops a compelling account of how collaborative textual production could work among early modern writers, highlighting patterns that traditional readings often overlook.

Shakespeare's Queer Analytics is a much-needed methodological intervention in computational attribution studies. It articulates what Rodrigues describes as "queer analytics: an approach to literary analysis that joins the non-normative close reading of queer theory to the distant attention of computational literary studies – highlighting patterns that traditional readings often ove.

In conclusion, "The Phoenix and Turtle" remains one of Shakespeare's most cryptic poems, and its symbolism and imagery lend themselves to numerous interpretations. While there is no definitive answer to the question of who the Phoenix and Turtle represent, Rodrigues' book "Shakespeare's Queer Analytics" provides valuable insights into the collaborative nature of textual production in early modern writers and suggests that Shakespeare may have had a significant hand in editing works signed by Chester. This book is a must-read for scholars interested in Shakespeare, queer theory, and computational literary studies.

Weight: 428g
Dimension: 135 x 204 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350178823