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当前位置：现代社会科学研究 > 2025年 5卷 (4)期

Open Access Article

Modern Social Science Research. 2025; 5: (4) ; 1-11 ; DOI: 10.12208/j.ssr.20250129.

Analysis of characters in The Crucible using weighted centrality measures
基于加权中心性度量法的《萨勒姆的女巫》角色分析

作者： 张伊婷 *

华中科技大学外国语学院湖北武汉

*通讯作者：张伊婷,单位：华中科技大学外国语学院湖北武汉；

发布时间: 2025-04-21 总浏览量: 33

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摘要

《萨勒姆的女巫》是美国著名剧作家阿瑟·米勒的代表作之一。然而，对该作品的研究大多集中在对其戏剧主题、写作手法、历史背景等的探讨上，对其中人物的研究较少，且集中于普罗克托一人。本研究通过统计话轮转换，绘制了《萨勒姆的女巫》中角色的加权和无加权的人际关系图。而且，基于加权中心性算法，分别计算并排序了所有人物的点度中心性、中介中心性和接近中心性。随后，对人物中心性进行了聚类分析，按其重要性归为三类。基于统计数据，研究重点讨论了普罗克托和丹弗斯、阿碧格和伊丽莎白、受害者和加害者三组人物间所表现出来的中心性差距。研究发现，普罗克托和丹佛斯作为该剧的中心人物、阿碧格和伊丽莎白作为次中心人物在聚类后都有着较为接近的中心性排名，但在具体指标中的表现不同，这可能与他们在剧中的人物设定有关。而受害者和加害者两组人物间有着明显的中心性差异。剧中人物间中心性的差异体现了人物关系和人物设定，并反映了戏剧的社会历史背景、作者经历和作品主题。本研究为阿瑟·米勒的戏剧角色研究提供了新的角度，通过定性和定量研究相结合的方式，将社会网络的中心性算法引入文学研究，促进了数字技术在人文研究中的应用。

关键词： 《萨勒姆的女巫》；社会网络分析；中心性算法；聚类分析

Abstract

The Crucible is one of the masterpieces of Arthur Miller, a famous American playwright. However, most of the studies on the play focus on its theme, writing techniques and historical background, while few have explored its characters except Proctor. In this study, the weighted and unweighted social networks are drawn according to the statistics on the turn-takings of characters in the play. In addition, the αω-weighted centrality algorithm is used to calculate and rank the degree centrality, betweenness centrality and closeness centrality of all characters in the play. Then, the characters are clustered into three categories according to the centrality measures. Based on the statistical data, the comparative analysis is performed between the pairs of Proctor and Danforth, Abigail and Elizabeth, and Defendants and Accusers. The study finds that Proctor and Danforth as the center characters, Abigail and Elizabeth as the subcenter characters are both had similar rankings, but their values are quite different in specific indicators, which may be related to their personal settings in the play. In addition, the Defendants and Accusers show an obvious difference in their centrality rankings. In this play, the differences in centrality results of characters can reveal the character relations, characters’ settings as well as the social and historical background, author’s experience, and the theme of the work. This research provides a new perspective on the interpretation of characters in The Crucible. Combining both qualitative and quantitative approach, the study promotes the application of digital technology in literature studies by using centrality algorithm of social network on character analysis.

Key words： The Crucible; Social Network Analysis; Centrality analysis; Clustering

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引用本文

张伊婷, 基于加权中心性度量法的《萨勒姆的女巫》角色分析[J]. 现代社会科学研究, 2025; 5: (4) : 1-11.

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