Rhythmic Tempi Analysis and Genus Analysis of Elfriede Jelinek’s Novel Die Liebhaberinnen : Mathematical Narratology Model

Sammanfattning: This interdisciplinary study is exploring several fields of scientific research ‒ Literary Criticism, Mathematical Narratology, Structural Semiotics, Feminism and Intersectionality, and applying their theoretical and methodological apparatus for analysis of Elfriede Jelinek’s novel Die Liebhaberinnen (Women as Lovers). The study is focusing on quantitative and qualitative analysis of five rhythmic tempi ‒ pause, ellipsis, summary, slow down and scene. Rhythmic tempi are analyzed based on Mieke Bal’s narratological model which defines tempi through a set of mathematical comparisons between time of the fabula TF and time of the story TS. For quantitative statistical analysis of rhythmic tempi, it is made a limited strategic choice selection of three chapters, first, middle and last one. It was shown that combined rhythmic tempi frequencies in three selected chapters are: 48% pause, 26% scene, 15% ellipsis, 7% slow-down and 4% summary, while for each selected chapter a set of rhythmic tempi is unique. For qualitative analysis of rhythmic tempi, the examples of each tempo are randomly chosen throughout the entire text of the novel. The narrator is using different rhythmic tempi to present the novel’s narrative messages about intersectional conflicts of dominance. Based on the qualitive and quantitive analysis, it is suggested a concept of intrafeminine subjugation, describing women’s intersectional dominance and their interpellation in a patriarchal society. The results of the study can be used in multidisciplinary analysis of literary texts and in education.