FiCT-O

Modelling Fictional Characters in Detective Fiction from the 19th to the 20th Century

Datos Bibliográficos

ID20249255
AutoresEnrica Bruno (0009-0007-5620-3834, University of Bologna, autor de correspondencia), Lorenzo Sabatino (0009-0007-1496-722X, University of Bologna, autor de correspondencia), Francesca Tomasi (0000-0002-6631-8607, University of Bologna, autor de correspondencia)
Año2025
Volumen14
Número9
Páginas180
Fecha de publicación2025-09-03
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaHumanities (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2076-0787 • E-ISSN: 2076-0787
EditorialMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/h14090180
OpenAlexW4413950952
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas33

This paper proposes a formal descriptive model for understanding the evolution of characters in detective fiction from the 19th to the 20th century, using methodologies and technologies from the Semantic Web. The integration of Digital Humanities within the theory of comparative literature opens new paths of study that allow for a digital approach to the understanding of intertextuality through close reading techniques and ontological modelling. In this research area, the variety of possible textual relationships, the levels of analysis required to classify these connections, and the inherently referential nature of certain literary genres demand a structured taxonomy. This taxonomy should account for stylistic elements, narrative structures, and cultural recursiveness that are unique to literary texts. The detective figure, central to modern literature, provides an ideal lens for examining narrative intertextuality across the 19th and 20th centuries. The analysis concentrates on character traits and narrative functions, addressing various methods of rewriting within the evolving cultural and creative context of authorship. Through a comparative examination of a representative sample of detective fiction from the period under scrutiny, the research identifies mechanisms of (meta)narrative recurrence, transformation, and reworking within the canon. The outcome is a formal model for describing narrative structures and techniques, with a specific focus on character development, aimed at uncovering patterns of continuity and variation in diegetic content over time and across different works, adaptable to analogous cases of traditional reworking and narrative fluidity

Aesthetics · Art · Detective fiction · Late 19th century · Literature · Digital Games and Media · Digital Humanities and Scholarship · Narrative Theory and Analysis

Herramientas

Abrir DOIOpen Access