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Epic networks: mapping and comparing social structures across editions of Táin Bó Cúailnge
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Date
2025-12
Abstract
There have been many examples of complex networks being used to model the social interactions found in narrative texts. It is common for these narrative texts to have numerous versions and translations. However, it is uncommon for the research to consider how these different versions and translations may result in differing complex networks. This thesis asks whether networks from different translations and versions can be used interchangeably. A quantitative comparative analysis of the social networks generated from different translations and editions of the same narrative text (Táin Bó Cúailnge) is presented, in an exploration of how these networks differ in structure and form. A variety of network science methods are implemented to compare the structure of each network. The result of these comparisons highlight that the closer the version stays to the original, whether in language or narrative structure, the more similar the resulting network will be, indicating the persistence of narrative structures despite translation and editing. However, notable differences arise across translations and versions, suggesting caution may be required when assuming equivalence between them. This study highlights the importance of considering variations in the texts used for narrative network analysis, emphasising the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration between the humanities and the sciences in the selection and interpretation of source materials for future research.
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University of Limerick
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McKermitt_2025_Epic.pdf
Adobe PDF, 18.07 MB