Theoretical challenge
Texts and other media often combine different narrative materials, often only parts of narrative materials.
More accurately formulated:
- Texts and other media do not contain narrative materials, but only concrete variants of narrative materials.
- Texts and other media usually contain only parts of such concrete variants of narrative materials.
- Texts and other media often combine (parts of) different variants of narrative materials in a variety of complex ways (see the tasks of hylistic narratology).
How can individual concrete variants of narrative materials be distinguished from one another?
How can such a variant be checked for completeness?
Methodological response
Sequence analysis = demarcation of narrative materials (or of sequences of events) and determination of their completeness.
3.1 Methodological steps
Sequence analysis disentangles the different narrative materials as distinct hyleme sequences.
First step = Analysis of boundaries of one (variant of a) narrative material (or a sequence of events) by determination of the beginnings and ends.
Second step = Analysis of the completeness of one (variant of a) narrative material (or a sequence of events).
3.1.1 Step 1: Analysis of boundaries (TTEPP-Criteria)
Illustrated by examples from myths = mythical narratives.
Preliminary considerations:
Mythical text or mythical image = manifestation of a variant of a myth.
Mythical texts, images, etc. contain different ‘packages’ of narrative materials:
- One text/ image = one (part of a) variant of a myth
- One text/ image = several (parts of) variants of a myth or of different myths or of myths and other narrative materials
First step = Analysis of where one narrative variant ends and another begins
A narrative variant can be said to be ’self-contained‘ or ‚independent‘ when it displays uniformity with reference to the following TTEPP-Criteria (see C. Zgoll 2021, 35 f):
- Themes: What is it about?
- Time: When?
- Events: What happens?
- Protagonists: Who?
- Places: Where?
In German ZOPHT-Kriterien:
- Zeit
- Ort
- Protagonisten
- Handlung
- Thematik
➔ Individual criteria may need to be weighted differently.
➔ The greater and clearer the difference in these criteria, the more reasonable it is to assume different (variants of) narrative materials (or different sequences of events) are involved.
N.B.: In texts, variants of narrative materials can belong to different categories of narrative materials; for example, a text may first tell the variant of a myth, then the variant of a fairy tale (see, e.g., the variant of a myth and the variant of a historical tale both contained in a proverbial text in Fechner 2024, 40-58).
3.1.2 Step 2: Analysis of completeness
Illustrated by examples from myths = mythical narratives.
Theoretical basics for the sequence analysis of myths based on myth theory:
- Myths deal with something considered significant.
- Myths deal with a specific problem related to this significance.
- Myths tell of how the problem is dealt with.
- The involvement of gods/numinous entities is essential for mythical narratives (myths are transcending interpretations of human experience).
- Myths always end with a solution to the problem (see Myths and Problem Solving).
➔ Myths do not end in aporia.
➔ Myths serve to explain the world and to cope with its challenges and problems.
N.B.:
- even a seemingly ‘bad’ ending can be a solution to a problem or an explanation
- this depends on the perspective (theocentric vs. anthropocentric)
- when a mythical text appears to end badly, the ending of the text is not necessarily the end of the myth (or: the narrative material is not mythic)
Second step = Analysis of the completeness of the narrative variant
Illustrated by examples from myths = mythological narratives.
Check the following criteria:
- identify the three obligatory parts: problem – dealing with problem – solution (see Myths and Problem Solving) = especially important in myths, but also in many other narrative materials (e.g. fairy tales, legends, etc.)
- clarify the solution by determining resultative hylemes which function as borderline-markers (often not explicitly stated!)
- compare with other narrative variants of the same narrative material (to be applied with care since narrative variants can differ immensely)
- compare with variants of other narrative materials, which are structurally or thematically similar (to be applied with even greater care)
3.2 Case Studies
See Publications.
Further reading: C. Zgoll 2021, 29-37; 2026.
References:
Fechner, J., 2024, „Der verarmte missachtete Gelehrte. Über einen Sondertyp vom mesopotamischen leidenden Gerechten und seine neuen Erkenntnisse über menschliches Leiden“, in: Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions 24, 1-79. (https://doi.org/10.1163/15692124-12341342)
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)
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).