Tags for Marking Drama

Guidelines for SGML Text Mark-up at the Electronic Text Center
David Seaman, Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia

These tags are in addition to the general markup tags described in the Practical Introduction to the Tag Set

• <lg>, <l>
  Dramatic verse uses the same<l> and <lg> tags as verse.

  <l>To be or not to be ....</l>

• <sp>
  A speech within a poem or play. The "speaker" (<speaker>) tag falls inside the <sp> </sp> pair.
  

  <sp>
  <speaker>Hamlet</speaker>
  <l>To be or not to be ....</l> </sp>

• <speaker>
  The person responsible for the speech.
  

  <speaker>Hamlet</speaker>

• <stage>
  Stage directions
  

  <stage>Exit, pursued by a bear.</stage>

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Examples of Encoded Drama

• A Longer Example

  For a longer and more substantial example, see King Lear.

  
  
  

• A Short Example

  Sample tagged drama from Milton's Comus

  <div1 type="scene" n="1">
  [section omitted]
  

  <sp>
  <speaker>Lady</speaker>
  <l n="271">Nay gentle Shepherd ill is lost that praise</l>
  <l n="272">That is addrest to unattending Ears,</l>
  <l n="273">Not any boast of skill, but extreme shift</l>
  <l n="274">How to regain my sever'd company</l>
  <l n="275">Compell'd me to awake the courteous Echo</l>
  <l n="276">To give me answer from her mossie Couch.</l>
  </sp>
  
  <sp>
  <speaker>Comus</speaker>
  <l n="277"> What chance good Lady hath bereft you thus?</l>
  </sp>
  

  </div1>

  
  
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