Post-resettlement Bhutanese Poetry: A Thematic Content Analysis through Natural Language Processing
Ramesh Gautam, Shiva Lal Dahal and Khem Gautam
Interpretation of poetry is generally based on qualitative analysis of semantics, figurative language and expression, and knowledge about the author and literary elements. Recent advancements in computer-based text processing allow us to analyse a large amount of text quantitatively. In this study, we analyse 135 poems published in the anthology ‘Post-resettlement Bhutanese Poetry’ quantitatively using natural language processing (NLP) techniques. We analyse and interpret the words and word patterns in the anthology, classify each poem based on codes for word-use and combine assigned codes into broader themes. NLP in the Nepali language is not developed enough to classify every poem into meaningful categories; however, it can help extract meaningful insights on word-use and themes even in a complicated literary text that would not have been possible using a qualitative approach. NLP was instrumental in breaking down a large amount of text into words and subsequently categorizing the words into codes, sub-themes, and themes for further analysis. This paper presents two useful aspects of literary analysis. Firstly, it interprets the social, cultural, and contemporary aspects of Bhutanese people’s lives after resettlement represented through poetry. Secondly, it presents NLP as a methodological technique in analysing literary texts written in the Nepali language.
[This is a journal article published in The Bhutan Journal – Editor]