Topic 40 — Sin, guilt and violent loss within families
Dominant work: Measure for Measure · genre mix of this topic (British Drama labels): tragedy 52%; comedy 24%; tragicomedy 10%
50chunks
24,968words
36works
4works with ≥3 chunks
10 %dominant work
22 %top-3 works
All statistics on this page are on the representative editions (one per work). Including the other editions, placed after the fit: 56 chunks · 36 works · 27,933 words — those 6 chunks are listed at the end of the page and are not part of any figure above.
Classificationcross-work theme (confirmed, in the genre comparison) · confirmed by the researcher Label (researcher): Sin, guilt and violent loss within families Notes (researcher): sample review supports sin, coercion, guilt and family loss. Broaden the brother-specific draft label: the sampled material includes a daughter's death and violence justified through political power. Reviewed excerpts (three different works): 864_00016; 586_00015; 740_00003.Original AI draft — before researcher review
draft label: Sin, guilt and a brother's death · pattern basis: thematic_discourse 50 chunks, 36 works, Measure for Measure 10 %. Guilt and the fear of death argued between kin: Claudio and Isabella, Titus and his brother, Yarington's murderers, the Yorkshire husband; sin, soul, heaven. A smaller neighbour of T1 with a domestic and penitential turn. Cross-work theme. chunks read for the draft: 864_00019;211_00018;415_00011;91_00030;640_00006;1118_00011;876_00025
Shakespeare, William / Middleton, Thomas, 1623 · tragicomedy · 5 chunks of this work here
And 'twere the cheaper way: Better it were a brother died at once, Then that a sister, by redeeming him Should die for ever. Were not you then as cruel as the Sentence, That you ha…
Peele, George / Shakespeare, William, 1594 · tragedy · 3 chunks of this work here
Nor I no strength to climb without thy help. Thy hand once more, I will not lose again, Till thou art here a loft or I below: Thou canst not come to me, I come to thee. Along with …
Yarington, Robert, 1601 · tragedy · 3 chunks of this work here
In faith I do not, therefore prithee say, Wilt thou consent to have him made away. Why then in faith, I am ashamed to think, I had my being from so foul a lump Of adulation and unt…
Wilkins, George, 1607 · tragedy · 3 chunks of this work here
Wouldst homicide? art so degenerate? Then let my blood grow hot. For it shall cool. To kill rather than be killed is manhoods rule. Stay let not your wraths meet. Heart, what mak's…
Whetstone, George, 1578 · comedy · 2 chunks of this work here
And law even with the worst, awards them punishment: And sith that rigorous law adjudged him to die, Your glory will be much the more, in showing him mercy. The world will think, h…
Jonson, Ben, 1601 · comedy · 2 chunks of this work here
Faith I know not what I should say to him: so God save me, I am e'en at my wit's end, I have told him enough, one would think, if that would serve: well, he knows what to trust to …
Heywood, Thomas, 1607 · tragedy · 2 chunks of this work here
My brother Frankford showed too mild a spirit In the revenge of such a loathed crime; Less than he did, no man of spirit could do, I am so far from blaming his revenge That I comme…
Chapman, George, 1613 · tragedy · 2 chunks of this work here
Well, sir; all Is in the issue well: and (worthiest Friend) Here's from your friend the Guise; here from the Countess, Your Brother's Mistress, the contents whereof I know, and mus…
Genre mix (chunks of this topic, British Drama labels)
tragedy
26 (52 %)
comedy
12 (24 %)
tragicomedy
5 (10 %)
history
2 (4 %)
biblical play
1 (2 %)
moral
1 (2 %)
tragedy; history
1 (2 %)
masque
1 (2 %)
This is the direction topic → genre, on the raw British Drama labels; the share of each genre group's text that falls in this topic is on the Genre page.
Measure for Measure (1623) · typ. 0.93 And 'twere the cheaper way: Better it were a brother died at once, Then that a sister, by redeeming him Should die for ever. Were not you then as cruel as the Sentence, That you have slandered so? Ignomy in ransom, …
A Yorkshire Tragedy (1608) · typ. 0.92 …ed. Good sir in that, the Angels would be pleased, And the world's murmurs calmed, and I should say I set forth then upon a lucky day. Oh thou confused man, thy pleasant sins have undone thee thy damnation has beggared thee, that heaven should say we must not answer, and yet made women: gives our senses way to find pleasure, which being f…
Two Lamentable Tragedies (1601) · typ. 0.91 …e the love of gold. Fear no relenting, I dare pawn my soul, (And that's no gage, it is the devils due) He shall embrew his greedy griping hands, In the dead bosom of the bloody boy, And wind himself, his son, and harmless wife, In endless folds of sure destruction. Now Homicide, thy looks are like thyself, For blood, and death, are thy co…
Measure for Measure (1623) · typ. 0.89 …the blow of justice; For which I would not plead, but that I must, For which I must not plead, but that I am At war, twixt will, and will not. Well: the matter? I have a brother is condemned to die, I do beseech you let it be his fault, And not my brother. Heaven give thee moving graces. Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it, Why eve…
The Miseries of Enforced Marriage (1607) · typ. 0.89 …e of mankind by my life, Undone my Brothers, made them thieves for bread, And begot pretty children to live beggars, O Conscience, how thou are stung to think upon't, My Brothers unto shame must yield their blood, My Babes at others' stirrups beg their food, Or else turn thieves to, and be choked for't, Die a dog's death, be perched upon …
The Maid's Tragedy (1619) · typ. 0.89 …contagious name, till thy repentance, If the gods grant thee any, purge thy sickness. begone, you are my brother that's your safety. I'll be a wolf first, 'tis to be thy brother An infamy below the sin of coward, I am as far from being part of thee, As thou art from thy virtue, seek a kindred 'mongst sensual beasts, and make a goat thy fa…
2 Promos and Cassandra (1578) · typ. 0.89 Affirming it, to be by'r brother's head. Which done, by night, he sent me post away, None but supposed, that I in déde was dead: When as in truth, in uncouth haunts I lay. In fine, a Clown, came peaking through the wood, Wherein I lived, your Graces being here: And Promos death, by whom I und…
Herod and Antipater (1622) · typ. 0.89 Brother, true; Let me embrace thy goodness; for I know, The last gasp of a death thus innocent, Hath no pain in it; and we're sure to find Sweetness i'th' shortness, all …
The Atheist's Tragedy, or The Honest Man's Revenge (1611) · typ. 0.87 …th'world; unless it be ashamed To have been the instrument of such a good man's cursed destiny.— Passions transports you. Recollect yourself. Lament him not. Whether our deaths be good Or bad; it is not death but life that tries; He lived well, (therefore) questionless, well dies. I. 'tis an easy thing for him that has no pain to talk of …
Octavia (Seneca's Ninth Tragedy) (1566) · typ. 0.87 … grim, with brows uprolde, And with soft tender lips, my foe to kiss, And stand in awe of becks, and nods of his, Whose will to please, my grief with cares yfired, Since brother's death by wicked wile conspired, Can never once vouchsafe for to sustain, Less grief to die, than thus to live in pain. His Empire Nero rules, and joys in blood:…
Jacob and Esau (1568) · typ. 0.87 …I be dead, But for my heels' sake, I will have thee by the head. What devil was in me, that I had not the grace With kicking back my he'll to mar his mopish face? But my father Isaac will not long live now, If he were gone, Iacob I would soon meet with you. For my soul hateth Iacob even to the death, And I will near but hate him while I s…
Enough Is as Good as a Feast (1570) · typ. 0.86 … M. Covetous are you angry with me? I am sorry for it man, what can I more be? hang me up by the neck like a strong thief: If ever I speak any word that shall put you to grief. I would do for you Sirs, for I love you all three, Marry then I look that as I am you should accept me By my troth Brother, I dare say none of us all: But that to …
All 50 chunks of the representative editions (chronological; click a header to sort)