Intertextuality and the Semantic Web: Jane Eyre as a test case for modelling literary relationships with Linked Data

Abstract

The literary world is replete with examples of relationships between works such as Homer's Odyssey and James Joyce's Ulysses . A Linked Data approach offers the opportunity to categorize these relationships then make them openly available and easily discoverable. The most suitable framework for categorizing these relationships (which can be applied across all cultural output) is provided by Gérard Genette, who proposes five types of relationship. In this paper, we examine Genette's framework, then apply it to Jane Eyre and relationships around that novel. By so doing, we have produced some RDF to model these relationships following Linked Data principles.This case study demonstrates the broader benefits of adopting Linked Data in this area of literary criticism - namely that scholars will be able to share discoveries and insights, laypeople will discover additional cultural artefacts of interest, and a clear and granular picture of cultural history will be openly available to everyone.