The encoded codex: a digital, statistical, and codicological examination of Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, fonds français, 24432

Thesis

The main objective of this thesis is methodological, showing the value of using methods from the digital humanities alongside analogue approaches to expand our understanding of Western medieval manuscripts and their texts. I take as a case study a manuscript collection of Old and Middle French texts (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, fonds français, 24432), which has been puzzlingly neglected by scholarship.

The thesis’ three chapters illustrate the different ways that digital methods can supplement more traditional methods, be that as the primary direction from which to explore a given feature, as a secondary mode of analysis, or as an equal partner alongside existing methods.

The first chapter presents a full codicological and palaeographical analysis of the codex. Within it, I use quantitative techniques in an equal partnership with more conventional qualitative methods. Drawing from both perspectives, I reach new conclusions regarding the manuscript’s production, and the individuals involved in its creation. The second chapter then takes a digital first approach, examining the use of scribal abbreviation, a hugely understudied area for French in particular, making this one of the major methodological contributions of the thesis. The third chapter presents a case study showing how methods of digital and statistical analysis can be combined with existing approaches on questions of uncertain authorship.

Throughout these chapters, I add to the toolbox of codicologists, palaeographers, and literary scholars, showing the utility of my methods beyond the scope of the thesis, while also making an important contribution to our understanding of this one particular manuscript.

Authors: Dows-Miller, SH

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-az2rxyp68
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: codicology; digital humanities; palaeography; medieval French
• Subjects: Manuscripts; Literature, Medieval; Digital humanities; Literature; French