The GOLEM Ontology for Narrative and Fiction

Federico Pianzola, Luotong Cheng, Franziska Pannach, Xiaoyan Yang, and Luca Scotti.

2025-09-01

Abstract

This paper introduces the GOLEM ontology, a novel framework designed to provide a structured and computationally tractable representation of narrative and fictional elements. Addressing limitations in existing ontologies regarding the integration of fictional entities and diverse narrative theories, our model extends CIDOC CRM and LRMoo and leverages DOLCE’s cognitive foundations to provide a flexible and interoperable framework. The ontology captures complexities of narrative structure, character dynamics, and fictional worlds while supporting provenance tracking and pluralistic interpretations. The modular structure facilitates alignment with various literary and narrative theories and integration of external resources. Future work will focus on expanding domain-specific extensions, validating the model through larger-scale case studies, and developing a reader response module to systematically model the reception of narratives. By fostering interoperability between literary theory, fan cultures, and computational analysis, this ontology lays a foundation for interoperable comparative research on narrative and fiction.

In Humanities.