Abstract:

This study uncovers a long-forgotten research system by redefining the concept of quantitative literary research, tracing its historical context, and re-examining its classic research cases. In the field of literature, quantitative literary research can be regarded as the predecessor of digital humanities, as there were already evidences of literary research using such quantitative methods as statistics and measurement before the advent of computer technology. The long-standing obscurity of quantitative literary research is bound up with its fracture in history. Since the 1970s and 1980s, literary studies premised on quantitative methods have gradually declined and been forgotten. As important representatives of quantitative literary studies, Wilhelm Fucks's and Max Bense’s contributions are closely related to contemporary digital humanities research and contain profound enlightening value. The former is crowned as a pioneer of Stylometry, while the latter not only skillfully applys mathematical knowledge to humanities and arts, but also creatively uses computer technology to produce literary works, A re-examination of quantitative literary research prompts us to consider whether quantitative literary studies should remain subject to digital humanities or develop into a discipline with its own specific research paradigm. This is crucial for literary studies in the digital age.

Key words:

quantitative literature studies , digital humanities , Wilhelm Fucks , Max Bense