Theoretical challenge
- myths and other narrative materials are not texts, images, films etc., but the content of these media
- this content cannot be achieved by traditional philological, archaeological, or other well-established methods, since they refer to texts, images or other media
- a distinct methodology is required
Methodological response
Hyleme analysis = Method of reconstructing
- a narrative sequence (= narrower definition of hyleme analysis) or
- a sequence of events in general (= broader definition of hyleme analysis)
in its natural chronological order, based on the reconstruction of the minimal state- or action-bearing units, the hylemes.
➔ The profitable use of hyleme analysis requires culture-specific expertise, such as knowledge of language, culture, archaeology and history, etc.
2.1 Methodological steps
Theoretical challenge
How are narrative sequences to be reconstructed from their different media concretisations?
Methodological response
Reconstruction in the form of the ‘minimal state- or action-bearing units’, i. e. hylemes that form the concrete variant of a narrative sequence (or a sequence of events). Especially challenging is the reconstruction of incomplete, of allusively or figuratively expressed and of implicit hylemes.
The method is demonstrated using narrative materials. It can be applied to sequences of events in general in the same way.
Analytical steps:
- Completion and clarification of hylemes (2.1.1)
- Reconstruction of implicit hylemes (2.1.2)
- Standardisation of hylemes (2.1.3)
- (Re-)Positioning of hylemes in their chronological order (2.1.4)
2.1.1 Completion and clarification of hylemes
Theoretical challenge
(a) Which hylemes (or hyleme elements) are only hinted at briefly or formulated elliptically?
(b) Which hylemes (or hyleme elements) are referred to by figurative language or metaphorical expressions?
Methodological response
(a) Completion of allusions or elliptical formulations:
Example with allusion:
“Foundation of Thebes”
➔ Hyleme: NN founds Thebes.
➔ If the context refers to Kadmos as the founder: Kadmos founds Thebes.
Example with elliptical formulation:
„Chryse of Pallas“
➔ in ancient Greek texts the expression „Chryse of Pallas“ is a typical elliptical expression for „Chryse, (the daughter) of Pallas“
➔ Hyleme: Chryse is the daughter of Pallas.
(b) Clarification of figurative (poetic) expressions:
Hyleme analysis is especially important for breaking down and clarifying the meaning of a text that is formulated in a very ‚poetic‘ way.
Example:
„Achilleus bites the dust.“
➔ Hyleme: Achilleus dies.
N.B.: When polysemy is intended, different meanings can be expressed by different hylemes.
2.1.2 Reconstruction of implicit hylemes
Theoretical challenge
Any representation of events in narrative form is incomplete.
Therefore, recipients must always supplement narratives; most of this is done unconsciously.
Methodological response
Hylemes are able to represent missing information that is clearly implied but not explicitly represented.
It is necessary to derive such hylemes to make the otherwise unconscious and opaque ideas and decisions about the missing information (or, where no decisions are made, the failure to address the issue) conscious and transparent.
In this respect, hyleme analysis is analogous to grammatical (morpheme) analysis.
N.B.: Hylemes which are to be supplemented implicitly are the rule, not the exception. Therefore the reconstruction of implicit hylemes is not only an important but an essential part of hyleme analysis.
For the sake of methodological precision, everything that is implicitly inferred but not visible in a text (or in an image etc.) is marked for clarification in the hyleme analysis, e.g. in italics, in grey or in brackets.
Examples
“Oidipus goes back to Thebes.”
This implies that Oidipus was in Thebes before and left it for a certain reason; after completion of his undertaking, he returns. So there are at least three implicit hylemes to reconstruct:
- [Oidipus is in Thebes.]
- [Oidipus leaves Thebes because of X.]
- [Oidipus does X.]
- Oidipus goes back to Thebes.
Leaving Thebes implies going to another place; so there are more implicit hylemes to be added:
- [Oidipus is in Thebes.]
- [Oidipus leaves Thebes because of X.]
- [Oidipus goes to place Y.]
- [Oidipus does X.]
- [Oidipus leaves place Y.]
- Oidipus goes back to Thebes.
Often in general statements of kinship or verbs of movement implicit hylemes are to be reconstructed (statements with ‘double meaning’):
The relationship from A to B corresponds to the relationship from B to A:
„Chryse is the daughter of Pallas.“
➔ This implies at the same time: [Pallas is the father of Chryse.]
Moving away from starting point A always implies moving closer to destination B, and vice versa:
“Heracles leads Theseus up from the netherworld.”
➔ This implies at the same time: [Heracles leads Theseus to the upper world.]
The scale of implicit hylemes
The reconstruction of implicit hylemes may be (I) logically compelling, or (II) of high plausibility, or (III) of middle plausibility, or they may be (IV) merely possible:
- logically compelling
- Oidipus leaves Thebes. ➔ Oidipus is previously in Thebes.
- of high plausibility
- Antigone calls Oidipus „father“. ➔ Oidipus is the father of Antigone.
- of middle plausibility
- Oidipus lies in his bed. ➔ Oidipus sleeps.
- possible
- Oidipus marries Iokaste. ➔ Oidipus is happy.
- Oidipus marries Iokaste. ➔ Oidipus is happy.
Any reconstructed hylemes that are not logically compelling or require an explanation should be commented on in a hylistic commentary (see 2.2). „Oidipus is the father of Antigone“: this is not logically inevitable, for example, as Oedipus might also have adopted Antigone, or Antigone may simply be addressing Oedipus using a title of honour.
2.1.3 Standardisation of hylemes
Theoretical challenge
- How can the content of narrative sequences in different media be reconstructed in a methodologically sound and reproducible way?
- How can narrative sequences realised in different media be made comparable?
Methodological response
Representation of hylemes in a standardized form.
2.1.4 (Re-)Positioning of hylemes in their chronological order
Theoretical challenge
Narrative material is often presented in different media in a non-chronological way (e.g. through prolepses and analepses, repetitions, etc.).
Methodological response
Restoring the logical-chronological order of the reconstructed (see previous methodological steps) hylemes.
2.2 The tasks of hyleme analysis and of a „hylistic commentary“
When applied to narrative material: clarification of the semantics of a text or image (or other media).
(narrower definition of hyleme analysis)
When applied to sequences of events in general: clarification of the successive ‘steps’ of an event.
(broader definition of hyleme analysis)
These tasks are complex:
➔ As a rule: Several revisions and adjustments are necessary.
➔ In many, particularly in complex or difficult cases, it is useful and important for comprehensibility to explain the reasons for reconstructing hylemes (especially implicit hylemes), in the form of a hylistic commentary – similar to how text editions in philology often provide a philological commentary for the constitution and explanation of a text.
2.3 Hyleme analysis vs. text paraphrase or image description
Hyleme analysis
- is no text paraphrase
- is no image description
- but the semantic analysis for the reconstruction and understanding of (a variant of) a narrative (or the semantic analysis for the reconstruction of an event)
➔ Hyleme analysis is the method for reconstructing narratives which are in or behind their medial concretisations such as texts, images etc.
A narrative material—as a polymorphic entity comprising many individual variants—and a single variant of that narrative material in a specific, individually defined form constitute the foundation upon which narrative texts, images, etc., are based. The individual components, or building blocks (i.e. hylemes), of these texts, images etc. are clearly visible in some places, but must first be uncovered in others.
Text paraphrase or image description
= normally restricted to explicit information in a text or an image
Hyleme analysis
= formal reconstruction and semantic clarification of explicit and implicit information in different media
2.4 Hyleme analysis and interpretation
Hyleme analysis is not an end in itself, but a necessary instrument and precondition for the interpretation.
When applied to narrative materials:
➔ Hyleme analysis
- is applied in an iterative process with philology
- continues where purely philological and literary analysis of texts ends
➔ Hyleme analysis examines
- not only the ‘visible’ content of a text, image etc.
- but the comprehensive content as fundament for comprehension
2.5 Case Studies
See Menu Publications.
Further reading:
C. Zgoll 2020, 38-42; 2021, 18-37.
References:
Zgoll, C. 2020, Myths as Polymorphous and Polystratic Erzählstoffe: A Theoretical and Methodological Foundation, in: A. Zgoll / C. Zgoll (ed.), Mythische Sphärenwechsel. Methodisch neue Zugänge zu antiken Mythen in Orient und Okzident, Mythological Studies 2, Berlin / Boston, 9-82. (Open Access: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110652543-002)
Zgoll, C. 2021, Grundlagen der hylistischen Mythosforschung. Hylemanalyse, Stratifikationsanalyse und komparative Analyse von mythischen Erzählstoffen, in: G. Gabriel / B. Kärger / A. Zgoll / C. Zgoll (ed.), Was vom Himmel kommt. Stoffanalytische Zugänge zu antiken Mythen aus Mesopotamien, Ägypten, Griechenland und Rom, Mythological Studies 4, Berlin / Boston, 9-50. (Open Access: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110743005-002)