 | Studies in bibliography |  |
Key Questions
Is the poem A Funerall Elegye by W.S. by one writer? Yes: analysis of
lengthy samples revealed homogeneity.
Can an authentic sample of Shakespeare, his two signed dedications,
be shown to be consistent with other samples by him, but to separate from
samples by another writer? Yes: all analyses with both Christopher Marlowe
and John Ford resulted in separation, visible proof of mixed authorship.
Is the Dedication to the Elegye consistent with Shakespeare's own two
dedications to Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece? No. The Dedication
FIGURE 10. Combined analysis of John Ford's dedication to The Lady's Trial (6
sentences) with the Elegye dedication (5 sentences) following.
FIGURE 11. Four dedications by John Ford (to The Lover's Melancholy, Perkin War-
beck, Love's Sacrifice, and The Lady's Trial) followed by the Elegye dedication.
dedications.
Is the Dedication to A Funerall Elegye written by the same person who
wrote the poem? Cusum analysis has shown that it was distinguishable from
the author.
Are samples of John Ford consistent with samples of the Elegye? Yes: they
were found to be indistinguishable.
The conclusion, therefore, is that cusum analysis has shown Shakespeare
to be extremely unlikely as author of A Funerall Elegye and supports the
consensus that John Ford is the likely author (though not of its Dedication).
| Studies in bibliography | |