Harry Kendall Thaw, a rich and troubled individual, made national headlines when he shot architect Stanford White in what became known as “the murder of the century.” But starting long before the infamous murder trial, Harry Thaw had already drawn the eye of the press with a string of scandals which earned him a growing reputation—and a steady presence in the periodicals Town Topics and The New York Times. These two publications played a key role in shaping Thaw’s public image with both different but also at times overlapping portrayals of his character.
This project explores the descriptive language used by Town Topics and The New York Times to construct—and reconstruct—Harry Thaw’s public image over time. By analyzing and visualizing the most frequently used descriptors from each magazine, it becomes clear how language shaped the narrative around Thaw.
This project explores the descriptive language used by Town Topics and The New York Times to construct—and reconstruct—Harry Thaw’s public image over time. By analyzing and visualizing the most frequently used descriptors from each magazine, it becomes clear how language shaped the narrative around Thaw.
