Authorial Framework and the Problem of Style through a Computational Analysis of Neo-Latin Drama

Abstract

This dissertation explores how early modern playwrights used Latin to write and share drama across Europe. From the 15th to the 18th century, thousands of Latin plays were performed in schools and universities, forming a rich but often overlooked literary tradition. These plays reflected their authors’ cultural and religious backgrounds and were shaped by earlier works, particularly those of classical Latin playwrights. Using a combination of traditional literary analysis and modern digital methods, this study examines patterns in the style, language, and themes of Neo-Latin drama. It explores how playwrights imitated earlier works, how their writing styles changed over time, and how religious differences influenced the way stories were told. By using computational techniques to analyse a large collection of plays, the research identifies common stylistic trends and unexpected connections between texts. The findings show that Neo-Latin playwrights carefully adapted classical models while developing their own distinct voices. Through digital analysis, the research uncovers clusters of plays that share similar stylistic traits, influenced by time period, geography, and religious background. It reveals that the European network of Neo-Latin drama was highly interconnected: playwrights in different countries borrowed from and responded to each other, sometimes crossing confessional boundaries. Catholic and Protestant dramatists, for example, often engaged with similar themes but expressed them in distinct stylistic ways. By applying digital tools to historical literature, this study sheds new light on how early modern drama evolved across national and cultural borders and provides a new way to study this forgotten literary tradition on a large scale.