Wiktionary
n. the study of narrative structure
Wikipedia
Narratology refers to both the theory and the study of narrative and narrative structure and the ways that these affect our perception. While in principle the word may refer to any systematic study of narrative, in practice its usage is rather more restricted. It is an anglicisation of French narratologie, coined by Tzvetan Todorov (Grammaire du Décaméron, 1969). Narratology is applied retrospectively as well to work predating its coinage. Its theoretical lineage is traceable to Aristotle ( Poetics) but modern narratology is agreed to have begun with the Russian Formalists, particularly Vladimir Propp (Morphology of the Folktale, 1928).
Usage examples of "narratology".
In particular, I now find structuralism rather more interesting than poststructuralism, and to reflect this I have added a new chapter on narratology, a branch of structuralist theory which lends itself very readily to enjoyable and thought-provoking practical applications.
And because narratology is about stories, I will begin with one of my own.
Aristotle, contemporary narratology has roots in classical Greek philosophy.
Dutch, and first published in English in 1985, this book quickly became a standard text: it has the precision, concision, and clarity which typify narratology at its best - like all the important works in the field, this is not a massive tome.
It stresses the mutual influences of narratology and deconstruction, feminism, psychoanalysis, and film and media studies.
Whatever I want to know in narratology, this is usually my first port of call.
Kennedy goes on to devise a system that is heavily indebted to structuralist narratology rather than reader-response.