TEI by Example Module 4: Poetry Ron Van den Branden Edward Vanhoutte Melissa Terras Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing (ALLC) Centre for Data, Culture and Society, University of Edinburgh, UK Centre for Digital Humanities (CDH), University College London, UK Centre for Computing in the Humanities (CCH), King’s College London, UK Centre for Scholarly Editing and Document Studies (CTB) , Royal Academy of Dutch Language and Literature, Belgium
Centre for Scholarly Editing and Document Studies (CTB) Royal Academy of Dutch Language and Literature Koningstraat 18 9000 Gent Belgium
ctb@kantl.be Edward Vanhoutte Melissa Terras Centre for Scholarly Editing and Document Studies (CTB) , Royal Academy of Dutch Language and Literature, Belgium Centre for Scholarly Editing and Document Studies (CTB) , Royal Academy of Dutch Language and Literature, Belgium Gent
Centre for Scholarly Editing and Document Studies (CTB) Royal Academy of Dutch Language and Literature Koningstraat 18 9000 Gent Belgium

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9 July 2010 TEI by Example. Edward Vanhoutte editor Ron Van den Branden editor Melissa Terras editor

Digitally born

TEI by Example offers a series of freely available online tutorials walking individuals through the different stages in marking up a document in TEI (Text Encoding Initiative). Besides a general introduction to text encoding, step-by-step tutorial modules provide example-based introductions to eight different aspects of electronic text markup for the humanities. Each tutorial module is accompanied with a dedicated examples section, illustrating actual TEI encoding practise with real-life examples. The theory of the tutorial modules can be tested in interactive tests and exercises.

 en-GB integrated examples in a single file
William Shakespeare: Sonnet 17

The following example illustrates a very elaborate text encoding of a sonnet by William Shakespeare. As most sonnets, this poem is structurally analysed in three quatrains and one couplet. The lines themselves are further divided in metrical feet (seg type="foot") whose metrical analysis is provided in the met of their containing lg element. For feet that metrically diverge from the metrical system, the actual metrical realisation is given in a real attribute. Where a foot runs over several syntactic phrases, the boundary between these phrases is marked with a caesura element. The rhyme scheme is encoded in the rhyme attribute at the stanza level. In the example, the relevant teiHeader fragment is included for clarity’s sake.

+- -+ ++ -- -+- --+ metrical promimence metrical non-prominence foot boundary metrical line boundary

Metrically prominent syllables are marked '+' and other syllables '-'. Foot divisions are marked by a vertical bar, and line divisions with a solidus.

This notation may be applied to any metrical unit, of any size (including, for example, individual feet as well as groups of lines).

The 'real' attribute has been used to indicate possible variations in the iambic base metre. Where this attribute is not included, it is assumed each foot inherits the iambic metre defined for the overall division of text.

The 'met' attribute has been used in feet which have a missing or additional syllable rather than the two syllables expected, although the line may still confirm to the metre of the poem.

 Sonnet 17 Who will believe my verse in time to come, If it were fill'd with your most high deserts? Though yet, heaven knows, it is but as a tomb Which hides your life and shows not half your parts. If I could write the beau ty of your eyes And in fresh num bers num ber all your graces, The age to come would say ‘This po et lies; Such heaven ly touch es ne'er touch'd earth ly faces’. So should my pap ers, yell owed with their age, Be scorn'd like old men of less truth than tongue; And your true rights be term' a po et's rage, And stretch ed me tre of an an tique song. But were some child of yours alive that time, You should live twice- in it, and in my rhyme. Adapted from a TEI P4 XML encoding by Mubina Islam (Islam 2004) of William Shakespeare’s poem Sonnet 17 (Shakespeare 1978). TEI XML source not publicly available.
Blake, William. 1789. Songs of Innocence and of Experience. London: W Blake. Encoded and made available by the University of Virginia Library, Text Collection at . Browning, Robert. 1842. Dramatic Lyrics. London: Moxon. Carroll, Lewis. 1865. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. New York: D. Appleton and co. p. 37. Islam, Mubina. 2004. A Selection of Sonnets: electronic edition encoded in XML with a TEI DTD. Unpublished Master’s Dissertation, London: University College London. Shakespeare, William. 1978. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Edited by Alexander, Peter. London: Collins. Swinburne, Algernon Charles. 1924. Swinburne’s Collected Poetical Works. London: William Heinemann. p. 330–31.