Braxton Thornley, Dixie State University
This confirmation study expects to contribute to the growing body of quantitative and qualitative data suggesting Shakespeare's use of 'you' and 'thou' is dictated by complex and varied distinctions. The study will compare the ratio of occurrence between 'you' and 'thou' second-person pronouns in Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing before analyzing individual instances of co-occurrence based on the tone, context, and characters of given scenes. The joint analysis is expected to produce data suggesting the distinct markedness of 'thou' forms within Shakespeare's plays and support the hypothesis that the bard employed 'thou' forms based on a variety of distinctions—not solely those demarcating social relationships. Most significantly, the contextual analysis of co-occurrences is expected to illustrate 'thou' functioning as much more than a simple pronoun or marker of power.