TED-ED: Did Shakespeare write his plays? - Natalya St. Clair and Aaron Williams

The video explores the debate over Shakespeare's authorship, questioning if he truly wrote the works attributed to him. It introduces stylometry, a method to analyze writing styles, and explains how it can determine authorship by examining linguistic features. The analysis concludes that Shakespeare's works are indeed his own, though evidence of collaborations exists. Stylometry has broader applications, such as detecting plagiarism and verifying text authenticity. Despite its insights, stylometry cannot capture the emotional impact of literature.

What is one reason some people doubt Shakespeare's authorship?

• He was known for writing only poetry.

• There are theories he was a pseudonym for another writer.

• His works were written in multiple languages.

• He was a well-documented historical figure.

What is stylometry primarily used for?

• Translating ancient texts into modern languages.

• Investigating questions of literary authorship.

• Studying the historical context of texts.

• Analyzing the emotional impact of literature.

Which statistical tool is used in stylometry to reduce multidimensional space?

• Fourier Transform

• Bayesian Inference

• Principal Component Analysis

• Linear Regression

What did stylometric analysis reveal about Shakespeare's works?

• They were all written by Francis Bacon.

• They show evidence of collaboration with other playwrights.

• They were mostly written in the 20th century.

• They were primarily based on historical events.

Besides authorship, what is another application of stylometry?

• Translating texts into different languages.

• Detecting plagiarism in student work.

• Identifying the genre of a novel.

• Determining the age of a manuscript.