Since mythical narratives serve to explain the world and master the human condition (see Myths and Their Relevance), there is always a specific question or ‚problem‘ in the broadest sense of the word (marked by durative-initial hylemes), which is ’solved‘ through the significant involvement of divine powers at the end of the myth (represented by durative-resultative hylemes). Mythical narratives do not end openly, or even in aporia, but follow the logical three-step process of problem – problem solving – solution. It is only this three-step process that transforms various narrative elements into a mythical narrative, and it is important to reconstruct this three-step process when analysing a sequence of mythical hylemes, since not every step is always explicitly retold (see C. Zgoll 2019, 154 and 402; 2026).
References:
Zgoll, C. 2019, Tractatus mythologicus. Theorie und Methodik zur Erforschung von Mythen als Grundlegung einer allgemeinen, transmedialen und komparatistischen Stoffwissenschaft, Mythological Studies 1, Berlin / Boston. (Open Access: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110541588)
Zgoll, C., 2026, „The Unknown Prometheus – and what Hesiod Made of Him. A Case Study of Hylistic Myth Research“, in: M.D. Konaris (Hg.), Studies on Greek Gods and Heroes. Interpretations and Appropriations, Trends in Classics Suppl.-Bd., Berlin/ Boston (forthcoming).