Quote:
Originally Posted by Psymon
Well, because it's Shakespeare -- in a way, it's a "matter of respect" for the ol' Bard, to at least try to typset his words as they were meant to be displayed. In that regard, re your comment that you don't see the added benefit of having those lines spaced like that, there is actually a reason and significance for doing so -- it's a visual cue as to the rhythm and meter of his words (iambic pentameter and all that).
I know what you mean, though, about lines wrapping and stuff -- but don't forget, Shakespeare's writings are all written in a way that they require being typset the same as poetry, i.e. not where each sentence just continues on "in a straight line" and then wrapping wherever the page ends over to the next line, but instead it's "line-by-line," like a poem. Even without adding in spaces to lines like those that I described, there will always be the potential for lines to wrap over to the next and for things to end up "looking funny."
|
I am definitely NOT an expert on Shakespeare from a typesetting viewpoint.
I have performed in and/or watched many plays growing up and can appreciate the artistry of the presentation. Unfortunately the current iteration of the ePub format doesn't make it easy. There's no concept of tabs or right-align for a section of words in a left aligned parent paragraph.
However, your question got me thinking, and I came up with the following result. It's certainly not perfect, but it might be acceptable.
Code:
p {text-transform:uppercase; margin: .25em; font-family:serif}
span {text-transform:none; display:block; margin-left:2em}
span.right {float:right}
<p>Orsino <span>If music be the food of love, play on.<br />Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,<br />The appetit may sicken and so die.<br />That strain again! It had a dying fall.<br />O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound<br />That breathes upon a bank of violets,<br />Stealing and giving odor. Enough; no more.<br />'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.<br />O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou,<br />That, notwithstanding thy capacity<br />Receiveth as the sea, naught enters there,<br />Of what validity and pitch soe'er,<br />But falls into abatement and low price<br />Even in a minute. So full of shapes is fancy<br />That it alone is high fantastical.</span></p>
<p>Curio <span>Will you go hunt, my lord?</span></p>
<p>Orsino <span class="right">What, Curio? </span></p>
<p>Curio <span class="right">The hart.</span></p>
<p>Orsino <span>Why, so I do, the noblest that I have.</span></p>
That gives the following displays (image one-perfect width, image two-wider display, image three-narrow display):