Shakespeare Electronic Conference, SHK 7.0886. Tuesday, 26 November 1996.
From: Louis Marder <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 25 Nov 96 14:06:36 EST
Subject: The Shakespeare Databank
TO SHAKESPEARE SCHOLARS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND BARDOLOGISTS
I am, and have been, compiling, digesting, and condensing for on-line
world-wide computer retrieval, a universal treasury of facts, opinions, and
critical commentary of every kind and "ism", It will consist of analytical
plot susmmaries, character analyses, themes of the plays and poems, variorum
annotations, pictorial illustrations, sources of the plays, annotated topical
bibliographies, book and theater reviews, specialized vocabularies and
glossaries, language, verse, imagery, proper names, place names, facts about
the first editions and editors, theater, acting, staging history, computerized
information and data processing, relations with other data bases, self study
and teaching materials, historical data, political and religious history,
cultural data of every kind, Shakespeare's biography, reputation, topical
knowledge (law, medicine, music, etc.), contempories, calendar of dates,
Shakespeare in the arts and popular culture, theories of disputed authorship,
1000's of questions and answers, and all kinds of miscellaneous information and
interesting triva on every related subject totalling in all about ninety
categories.
Everything will be entered in single listed sentences (or quoted paragraphs
where necessary) for simplicity and ease of comprehension.
Wherever possible or necessary, bibliogrphical data, bibliographies, and
numerous cross-references will be listed for each item or group, and further
reference in the original sources and for extended reading.
It will be open ended so that new or newly compiled material can be entered
almost daily.
Shakespeare dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedia, manuals, handbooks, outline
books, study guides, as well as scholarly books, periodicals, master's essays,
dissertations, computerized materials, lectures, and privately submitted
materials, will be ransacked for what they have to offer.
If your book or article has been published with limited circulation, or your
work has not been published at all, here is your opportunity to give your
research and scholarship immediate and on-line circulation world-wide
If you have ever appeared in print, you will want to be represented, preferably
compiled and digested by yourself for utmost accuracy, fidelity, and authority
If you want to assume or edit a large topic and enlist your own Associates,
that would be very helpful
If your are a Professor who teaches Shakespeare and English Renaissance
literature who requires a research paper to complete the course, you may assign
one or all of your students to work under your supervision and/or yours and
mine if they write to me with your approval.
If you are a professor, scholar, teacher, student, or Shakespeare enthusiast
who would like to develop one of the many topics, your help would be much
appreciated, and your by-line as an Associate of the SDB in the SDB would give
you departmental recognition, worthy satisfaction, and permanent distinction
for helping everyone to a greater understanding and appreciation of
Shakespeare.
If you are interested in any aspect of this project, please write to Louis
Marder, 1217 Ashland Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60202-1103 or use E-mail
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Louis Marder
PS: I would also like to hear from all those who enlisted as Associates over
the years and with whom I lost contact.
