JOURNAL ARTICLE

Immortal codes: genetics, ghosts, and Shakespeare's sonnets.

  • Published In: Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 2023, v. 48, n. 3. P. 545 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Day, Timothy Ryan 3 of 3

Abstract

This essay explores the intersections of Shakespeare, code, and immortality through three narratives: the encoding of Shakespeare's sonnets into DNA, Victor Hugo's 1853 séance invoking Shakespeare's ghost, and a reading of the sonnets as a poetic memorial to Shakespeare's deceased son, Hamnet. It situates these moments within frameworks of biosemiotics, the human umwelt (a species-specific perceptual world), and the holobiont (the interconnected biological community within and around organisms), arguing that language, genetics, and cultural transmission are deeply intertwined codes that emerge and evolve across time. The essay further considers how poetry exemplifies emergent meaning-making processes akin to biological evolution and reflects on the implications for understanding consciousness, artificial intelligence, and the persistence of information beyond individual lifespans.

Additional Information

  • Source:Interdisciplinary Science Reviews. 2023/07, Vol. 48, Issue 3, p545
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0308-0188
  • DOI:10.1080/03080188.2023.2193796
  • Accession Number:170041417
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Interdisciplinary Science Reviews is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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