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Tracking Social Networking In Shakespeare Plays

Posted by simoniker on from the rosencrantz-and-guildenstern-closely-allied dept.

An anonymous reader writes "By feeding PieSpy (an IRC bot used to visualise social networks) with the entire texts of Shakespeare plays, it became possible to produce drawings of the social networks present in his plays - it is now possible to visualize the relationships between the characters in his works, and see Shakespeare in an entirely new light."

39 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. What about... by lofoforabr · · Score: 5, Interesting

    feeding a program written in Shakespeare Programming Language to it? Should be real fun!

    1. Re:What about... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      IRC Shakespeare...

      <HAMLET> Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow
      of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath
      borne me on his back a thousand times;

      <L33tBoi> ROFL LOL!!!? u r a fag

  2. 2 Pie or not /=\2 by scorp888 · · Score: 4, Funny

    That is the question...

    1. Re:2 Pie or not /=\2 by Rovaani · · Score: 5, Funny

      (2b)||(!2b) equals true, for any value of b.

      --
      Karma: Good! Napster: Baad!
    2. Re:2 Pie or not /=\2 by Gildor · · Score: 3, Funny

      The question is, of course, "what do you get if you multiply six by nine". But somehow I doubt that was what Shakespeare had in mind.

    3. Re:2 Pie or not /=\2 by haystor · · Score: 5, Funny

      It is a control structure not evaluated for the truth of expression but for the side effects.

      Clearly Hamlet is attempting first 2b. If that returns false, then he'll attempt !2b. As these are attempted in succession and not at the same time, it is possible though unlikely that both return false. More likely is a fatal error which Hamlet appears not to worry about trapping.

      --
      t
  3. As Spock would say... by DukeLinux · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Facinating. Unfortunately, the video on the web site raised an error. Slashdot effect? If this technique were applied to other great works I wonder if any patterns might emerge?

  4. ENG 201 by CGP314 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    see Shakespeare in an entirely new light.

    No thanks. My high school english classes did a good job of making sure that I'd never enjoy classic works.

    There's no way to make someone hate reading faster than english classes.

    -Colin

    1. Re:ENG 201 by Jabes · · Score: 4, Informative

      Not sure that's true. When I did English & English Lit. at school, I hated it. With a passion.

      I read as little as possible, thought all the books must be rubbish.

      Now I'm older, and I've reread some of the books we did (1984, Of Mice & Men, Royal Hunt of the Sun, various sharespeare, Chrysalids, Farenheit 451 etc).. and I'm finding that they're actually pretty good.

      Perhaps you should try it? Get yourself a couple of Shakespeare DVDs (the Brannah ones are quite good), sit back, and enjoy. Then once you know the basis of the story you'll find that the text is rather less opaque.

      Enjoy!

    2. Re:ENG 201 by templest · · Score: 5, Interesting

      You must of had a pretty crappy teacher then. TV pretty much made me hate shakespear back in the day, but my highschool english teacher actually made it good. Macbeth kicks ass, and to you sir, I bite my thumb.

      --
      I'm a signature virus. Please copy me to your signature so I can replicate.
    3. Re:ENG 201 by 16K+Ram+Pack · · Score: 5, Insightful
      My Eng Lit classes made me think that Shakespeare was nothing but a chore. Thankfully, some friends encouraged me to go and see it at the theatre.

      Before any kid is given a book of a Shakespeare play, they should go and see it performed.

      And a note to english teachers - these are stories and are meant to entertain people - remember that when you teach it.

    4. Re:ENG 201 by PaschalNee · · Score: 3, Informative

      Or if you don't have the time to see the full set of DVDs you can try these guys. All 37 plays in 97 minutes and funny as hell.

    5. Re:ENG 201 by HeghmoH · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I believe that if Shakespeare were alive today, he'd be working in Hollywood, pumping out those rare summer blockbusters with enough intelligence to entertain the intellectual snobs (like me) while simultaneously having enough guns, explosions, and sex to make it interesting.

      Today, plays are a rather rarefied thing; it's a specialist, almost elitist, art. But when Shakespeare was alive, the theater was what your local MPAA-approved cinema is today: mostly trashy entertainment for the unwashed masses. I think he would have seen it as only natural to make his plays into movies once movies were invented.

      --
      Mod down posts with a "Free Mac Mini/iPod" sig, they're spam!
    6. Re:ENG 201 by Keebler71 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I wonder what Shakespeare would think if he knew that his plays were learned by students the world over in TEXT format. These were -plays- after all. I think he would be happier with people viewing them as movies than just sitting and reading them.

      --
      "It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance." - Thomas Sowell
    7. Re:ENG 201 by discjockeydom · · Score: 4, Informative

      Funny you fention the MPAA. Piracy was rife even in the day of Shakespeare. He was regularly ripped off when 'pirates' would discretely write down the words to the play whilst watching and then open the same play up else where. It is still unclear whether some of the plays are originals or infact copies (usually with errors or missing scenes).

    8. Re:ENG 201 by teklob · · Score: 3, Funny

      Because he's dead.

  5. The practical way by the+real+darkskye · · Score: 3, Funny

    The most practical way to tell the difference between Macbeth and Hamlet requires two days and a local theater company.
    Day One:
    Enter the theater and say "Hamlet" to each of the actors, observe their reaction
    Day Two:
    Enter the theater and say "Macbeth" to each of the actors, observe their reaction, be prepared to run away from an angry mob.

    --
    Music is everybody's possession.
    It's only publishers who think that people own it.
    Fuck Beta
    ~John Lenno
  6. Symmetric vs. Asymmetric relationships by G4from128k · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Based on the article and PieSpy site, it seems that PieSpy only finds the existence of a connection between members -- a symmetric relationship in which "A connects to B" implies "B connects to A". Yet human relationships tend to be asymmetric: "A likes B" does not imply that "B likes A" and "A controls B" certainly does not imply "B controls A".

    A more powerful version of PieSpy would examine the text (and context) of who is connecting to whom. For example, the introduction of new words by some members of the network and the echoing of those words by others would help identify the directional flow of information in the network and help assess the level of control of the thread by some members over others. Analyzing the emotional content of words in threads could probably even let the software make approximate judgements of who likes/hates whom. Analyzing when some members leave IRC as a function of the joining of other members might also help detect asymmetric relationships.

    --
    Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
    1. Re:Symmetric vs. Asymmetric relationships by paiute · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Based on the article and PieSpy site, it seems that PieSpy only finds the existence of a connection between members -- a symmetric relationship in which "A connects to B" implies "B connects to A". Yet human relationships tend to be asymmetric: "A likes B" does not imply that "B likes A" and "A controls B" certainly does not imply "B controls A".

      Spot on. The plots are driven by asymmetric interpersonal relationships. It is the very basis of all the humor and all the tragedy.

      --
      If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
    2. Re:Symmetric vs. Asymmetric relationships by Otter · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Spot on. The plots are driven by asymmetric interpersonal relationships. It is the very basis of all the humor and all the tragedy.

      You mean that A loves B but B doesn't realize she's a woman dressed as a man and therefore loves C who loves D? I guess that's true.

      On the other hand, what does come across strikingly is how the peripheral goofball characters (Dogberry and Verges, the rude mechanicals, the various collections of guards) float around in isolation for four acts before crashing in to help wrap up the ending.

      --
      What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
  7. Can ANYONE explain by Dark+Lord+Seth · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ... the latest craze about social networks like Orkut or Friendster? I'm indifferent to the internet or the people on the internet so I highly doubt social networks on the net will ever be even slightly interesting for me, personally. But I really don't see what's worth the fuss about them, because they aren't exactly incorporating ground-breaking technologies, stunning visualizations nor original and efficient business plans. So while I don't doubt the fact these "social networks" are fun for those participating, I don't actually see anything about them that's worthy of a front page post on Slashdot...

    Maybe a nice new topic on Slashdot called "The Internet Society" with stuff like *logs, social networks and everything else regarding the social aspects of the internet?

    --
    Hate me!
    1. Re:Can ANYONE explain by CGP314 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Can ANYONE explain the latest craze about social networks like Orkut or Friendster?

      While I can't answer why it's a craze right now, I can tell you why I personally like using Orkut.

      I've always liked the idea of bulletin boards and discussion groups on the internet, but I found them less than engaging in practice. The main reason for this for me was because they were faceless. I could never remember if I had replied to HMN22's comments before or not -- I could never get a sense of the personalities I was interacting with.

      On the communities in Orkut, I can see a picture of the person next to each comment they make. That is a world of difference for me. Now I can much more easily remember if I've interacted with that person before. Also, I can check out their profile and get more of a sense of who they are.

      But as I said, that's just why I like it -- I'm sure many others have very different reasons.

      -Colin

    2. Re:Can ANYONE explain by rm007 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Good question, I tend to share your indifference about things like Orkut and Friendster, however I can see why they are of interest.

      The internet and WWW are more than information technologies or even communications technologies, one of the most complelling uses for them are as technologies for maintaining relationships aka relationship technologies (and yes, I realize that differentiating this from communications might seem difficult, but for now lets leave it at communications being an important part of a relationship). The importance of relationship technologies can be seen in how instant messaging, chat and especially email have driven the widespread adoption of technology. These social networks are really just the latest experiment. Whether or not it will succeed to the point where they are as ubiquitous as email or IM is questionable. Nevertheless they are worthy of some attention, and possibly even the occassional front page post on Slashdot as examples of how technology is being applied to the important aspects of peoples daily lives and thus being ever more embedded in these lives.

      More generally, the study of social networks are helpful for understanding things ranging from power relationships in society to the adoption and diffusion of innovation, not, of course, that Orkut or Friendster is likely to help with this aspect.

      --


      I've finally got around to changing my sig
    3. Re:Can ANYONE explain by ojQj · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Just a little side note:
      I'm indifferent to the internet or the people on the internet

      People who bother to say something to other people are trying to reach out to other people. Obviously you wanted people on the internet to read what you wrote otherwise you wouldn't have written it and submitted it to ./.

      Thus the very making of this comment makes it incorrect.

    4. Re:Can ANYONE explain by yerM)M · · Score: 3, Interesting
      In this case there is some wonderful synergy between popular conceits (i.e. the wonder of social networks) and science (i.e. the wonder of protein networks). One interesting aspect of both such networks is the concept of hubs.

      Let's take the yeast protein interaction network as an example. This network describes the physical interaction of various proteins in that protein A binds to protein B and does something useful, like telling your mitochondria to make more energy. It turns out that some proteins interact with WAY more proteins than on average. In yeast some interact with >260 proteins while the average is around 3. For social networks, think of Kevin Bacon here.

      Now, well add some complexity. Suppose you want to initially model a human disease in yeast. Now you have to find the networks that the human has in common with the yeastie. If this happens to include the proteins associated with the disease you would like to model, bang, you're in luck. Chances are that this small network will include a hub, but in my experience they are just hangers-on and not really related to the disease model.

      Now back to social networks. Let's suppose you identify a collection of the population with some desireable relationship, let's say for example that you notice that a cluster of people tend to buy low-end luxury cars. You can annotate their small network with as much data as possible, where they went to school, what year, the cost of the houses they own, where they live, etc. This becomes a kernel from which you can find other social networks in other places. Now that you have this matching piece, who would you choose to give the wicked low discount on a BMW? You guessed it, the hub. More people would see her/him driving along beaming and glowing in a spanking new beamer. I can almost guarantee that this will happen at some point in the future. Currently the hub's are celeberities because they are 'seen' by more people, but it is kind of impersonal.

      In any case, the main problem is that social networks are HUGE so much more complicated to search in this way. If you are interested, you can check out my paper in PNAS

      Now if I could just find some investors for the social network side...

  8. Chat room relic.... by 16K+Ram+Pack · · Score: 3, Funny

    petruchio: Hi Shrew A/S/L?

    1. Re:Chat room relic.... by Channard · · Score: 3, Funny

      Shrew: No-one understands me! Livejournal at www.livejournal.com/~angstyshrew

  9. orkut by CGP314 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Great, the last thing I want is to have to ignore a friend request from Hamlet on Orkut. That guy is so whiney and needy.

    Now if only I could think of a clever way to start emailing Juliet.

    -Colin

    1. Re:orkut by AndroidCat · · Score: 5, Funny
      Dude! She's 13, underage and her daddy doesn't want her to get married for another two years. You are so busted!

      You've got law-enforcement!

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  10. Maybe someone can work out... by Channard · · Score: 4, Funny

    .. why so many of Shakespeare's works are called comedies just because everyone doesn't die at the end. I saw the Merchant of Venice and there wasn't a single pie-fucking scene in it. I want my money back, dammit.

  11. feds can use it by oohp · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This can be used by the FBI do track down script kiddies. They put it on a couple of channels where the kiddie is on, see who's the kiddie's friends are, identify them, catch them, interrogate them, find out who the kiddie is and catch him.

  12. Impossible? by drooling-dog · · Score: 3, Insightful
    it is now possible to visualize the relationships between the characters in his works, and see Shakespeare in an entirely new light.

    And this was impossible up until now exactly why?

  13. We used to do that back in school... by ferkelparade · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...only for Schiller plays because that's what's usually read in German classrooms. Basically, we created a chart for every play where all the characters were connected by four different types of arrows which were labeled "kills", "tries to kill", "fucks" and "tries to fuck". Ah, the memories...

    --
    frotz grue
  14. Mirrors of text and program by kathgar1 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Google cache
    Program


    http://www.jibble.org/files/PieSpy-0.2.2.zip
    (Original link, only use if mine is down and YOU are going to mirror.)

  15. Re:Am I the only one ... by slim · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This could have easily been done with any other author/book/etc. Lord of the Flies IMO would have been more fitting

    Theorising, somewhat, but if this software was designed for IRC, it expects input roughly in the form "Name of speaker: words spoken".

    Hence it needs plays rather than novels.

  16. /. Friends by wideBlueSkies · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wonder how this would look if applied to the /. friends/foes database.

    It'd be interesting to see how the community is aligned.

    wbs.

    --
    Huh?
  17. Soliloquies? by pi42 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I wonder how it deals with all of the soliloquies in Shakespeare's texts, especially since those are some of the largest blocks of conversation.

    Seems like the thickest line should be a loop from Hamlet back to Hamlet.

    Heh.

  18. Re:Henry V by Unknown+Kadath · · Score: 3, Funny

    *thinks*

    Macbeth: "Will you go out with me?"

    L. Macbeth: "Yeah, when the great Birnam Woods come to Dunsinane, you loser."

    Macduff: "Ooh,     snap!"

    *laugh track*

    Macbeth (mutters): "Jeez. No man of woman born can lay that chick."

    *laugh track*

    I shudder.

    -Carolyn

    --
    Like Daddy always said: if you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit.
  19. Then there's the FPS version... by Mr.+Bad+Example · · Score: 3, Funny

    Malcolm: Let every soldier hew him down a bough
    And bear't before him: thereby shall we shadow
    The numbers of our host and make discovery
    Err in report of us.

    Macbeth: OMG! WTF camping n00b