Mythemes
The notion of mytheme is used here in a productive misunderstanding of Claude Lévi-Strauss’s structuralist approach to myths. In his seminal article on “The Structural Study of Myth”, Lévi-Strauss defines mythemes as “gross constituent units” of (mythological) stories, characterized as “bundles of […] relations and it is only as bundles that these relations can be put to use and combined so as to produce a meaning” (Lévi-Strauss 1955). We distinguish here four types of mythemes:
Actor mythemes are narrative entities that can function as the object or subject of action, as for example the god Thor, an apple, a sword, a sorcerer, that is entities that can eventually cause action. These actor mythemes can take the place of all actants as defined by Greimas. […]
Mythemes of action are narrative elements that define the narrative relationship between actor mythemes, as for example X fights Y with the help of Z. A looks for B with the help of C. They are hence responsible for the change of quality of relations of other types of mythemes in narrated time and space.
Chronotope mythemes define the place and time of an action, as defined by Bakhtin in his thoughts on chronotopes : a forest, the sea, the middle ages, paradise, a crossroad. Of course, several mythemes of the same category can be used by a narration at the same time: a crossroads in a forest in the Middle Ages.
Unlike the other mythemes, concept mythemes are not located at the literal level of the story, but related to the moral, intentional level of a story: concepts such as liberty, democracy, eternal love, goodness etc., which in some narrations may dominate the plot structure as is often the case, and perhaps the most consequently, in allegories.” (Mohnike 2020, 18-19)
Lévi-Strauss, Claude 1955. “The Structural Study of Myth,” The Journal of American Folklore 68, no. 270: 428–44.French translation here.
Mohnike, Thomas. 2020. “Narrating the North. Towards a Theory of Mythemes of Social Knowledge in Cultural Circulation”. Deshima 14: 9–36.
When creating a new mytheme, please use only alphanumeric characters and "_".
- Agir
- Appear
- Ask
- Battle
- Bite
- Change
- Church Service
- Cry
- Dance
- Destruction
- Diner
- Disappear
- Discovery
- Dive
- Eat
- Exploration
- Find
- Fishing
- Fly
- Follow
- Grow
- Help
- Hike wander
- Hunting
- Investigation
- Kill
- Kiss
- Listen
- Marier
- Murder
- Ragnarök
- Ride
- Rite
- Sacrifice
- Sail (action)
- Say
- See
- Shout call
- Sit
- Speed
- Stabbed
- Stand
- Stay
- Talk
- Tell narrate
- Think
- Throw Cast
- Touch
- Travel
- Try
- Understand
- Vandalisme
- Worship
- Abelsen
- Absalon
- Aesir
- Amanullah Khan
- American
- Andrée
- Andvari
- Animal
- Aningan
- Anita
- Anna
- Anneli
- Anta
- Antichrist
- Anuraaqtuq
- Apples
- Apputiku
- Archaeologist
- Archbishop
- Army
- Arne
- Åsa
- Asger Jorn
- Ash
- Aslak
- Atsuko
- Aunt
- Aurora actor
- Ava
- Baard
- Babette (Blixen)
- Balder
- Banner
- Barbarian
- Bataki
- Bear
- Beast
- Beerencreutz
- Beer
- Beethoven
- Berserker
- Bird
- Birgit
- Bishop
- Blood
- Blubber
- Body
- Bone
- Bootman
- Bow
- Boy
- Brand
- Brant Akka (nils holgerson)
- Brant Martin
- Brant
- Bread
- Brother
- Brynhild
- Buck
- Cadaver
- Calife
- Camilla
- Canadian
- Captain
- Celt
- Cesar
- Cheese
- Child
- Chipewyan
- Christian PNoun
- Church bell
- Clement Klement
- Compass
- Cook (profession)
- Countess
- Cow Majros
- Cow
- Crew
- Criminal
- Crow
- Czernov
- Daniel
- Daoud Khan
- Daughter
- Deer
- Démon
- Destin
- Devil
- Diver
- Doctor
- Dog
- Dragon
- Dreamer
- Drove
- Drum
- Dryad
- Duke
- Dunfin
- Dwarf
- Eagle
- Eau de vie
- Edda
- Edvard
- Elisabeth
- Eli
- Emirat
- Emperor
- Enemy
- English
- Enoksen
- Eric
- Ermenrich
- Esaias
- Eskimo
- Explorer
- Eye
- Face
- Fafnir
- Family
- Father
- Fenrir
- Ferguson
- Figure
- Finn
- Fire
- Fish
- Fjordsen
- Foot
- Foreigner
- Forester
- Fortitude
- Fox
- Fram
- Franz François Francesco
- Freyja
- Freyr
- Friedrich Engels
- Frigga
- Frithiof
- Frodo
- Frost Giants
- Ganglere
- Gauls
- Geirrod
- Gentleman
- Georges Dumézil
- Gerda
- Ghost
- Giantess
- Giant
- Girl
- Gods
- God
- Goose
- Gorgo
- Gösta
- Gråfäll
- Grani
- Greenlander
- Grettir
- Gudrun
- Gull
- Gunnar
- Gustav
- Gutorm Gjessing
- Guttorm
- Guy Debord
- Hair
- Halfdan
- Hammer
- Hand
- Hansen
- Harald
- Haugean movement
- Head
- Heart
- Hedda Gabler
- Heimdall
- Helicopter
- Helmer
- Helmsman
- Hel
- Henrik
- Henry
- Herder
- Hermod
- Hero
- High Har (Norse mythology)
- History
- Hoder
- Hod
- Holger Danske
- Holger
- Hope
- Horn
- Horse
- Hrymer
- Hunger
- Hunter
- Husband
- Huus
- Hyperboreans
- Ibsen
- Icelander
- Ida
- Idol
- Iduna
- Imp
- Indian
- Ingeborg
- Ingrid
- Inuit
- Iron
- Jackie
- Jakkelsen
- Jakob
- Jarro
- Jésus Christ
- Johansen
- Johnson
- Jon
- Joseph Giuseppe
- Josephine
- Julius
- Jupiter
- Justice
- Juva
- Kaksi
- Kallem
- Karelians
- Karen
- Karin Hauge
- Karl
- Karr
- Karsten
- Katinka
- Kayak
- Kierkegaard
- King
- Klemet
- Knife
- Knut
- Kristiansen
- Kris
- Laestadius
- Lagerlöf
- Lamb
- Lapp
- Larsen
- Larsson
- Law
- Lennart
- Liquor
- Lisbeth
- Liza
- Loewenhielm (Blixen)
- Loki
- Louis Réau
- Loyen
- Lukas
- Lupin
- Luv
- Mads
- Maelstrom
- Magnus
- Maiden
- Malik
- Malte
- Manes
- Man
- Marco
- Marianne
- Mars
- Märta
- Martine (Blixen)
- Massaq
- Mathilde
- Mats
- Matthew
- Maud
- Mead
- Melanchton
- Merchant
- Milk
- Miölnir
- Missionary
- Monarchie
- Monster
- Moon
- Moose
- Moravian Church
- Morris
- Mother
- Mr Ory
- Murderer
- Muscovite
- Nader Shah
- Najak
- Nanna
- Nansen
- Niels Lyhne
- Niels
- Nietzsche
- Nils Holgersson
- Nils
- Nina
- Njord
- Nora
- Nordenskiöld
- Norsemen
- Nukilik
- Odin
- Oil
- Olaf
- Olaus Magnus
- Ola
- Paneeraq
- Parisian
- Pavia
- Peary
- Peasant
- Peer Gynt
- People Folk
- Peter Vilhelm Glob
- Philippa (Blixen)
- Picture
- Pietist
- Pirate
- Poison
- Polar Star
- Police
- Pontife
- Priam
- Priest
- Primipile
- Prince
- Prudence
- Ptarmigan
- Qaanaaq
- Ragnar Lodbrok
- Ragnhild
- Railway
- Regin
- Reindeer
- Revolver
- Riber
- Rifle
- Rikke
- Roman
- Rugians
- Russian
- Sailor
- Sail
- Saint Olaf
- Saint
- Samoyedes
- Sara
- Savages
- Saxons
- Saxo
- Seal
- Serpent
- Sheep
- Shepherd
- Ship
- Siberian
- Sif
- Siggeir
- Sigmund
- Signý
- Sigurd Siegfried
- Sinclaire
- Sinfjötli
- Sintram
- Skirnir
- Ski
- Skræling
- Skyrmir
- Slave
- Sledge
- Sleipnir
- Smilla
- Smirre
- Smith
- Smoke
- Snorri Sturluson
- Snowmobile
- Snow
- Soldier
- Solvejg
- Song
- Son
- Soul
- Spear
- Spirit
- Starkadr
- Stéphane Lupasco
- Stjärnhök
- Stone
- Storjunkar
- Stork
- Storm
- Submarine
- Sun
- Superstition
- Surtur
- Svein
- Sword
- Synnøve Solbakken
- Sæmund
- Tailor
- Teacher
- Temperance
- Templar
- Terje
- Teuton Germanic People
- Theuderic
- Thialfi
- Thorbjørn
- Thorkill
- Thornton
- Thorvaldsen
- Thor
- Thrym
- Thunder
- Tikk
- Tine
- Tobacco
- Tom
- Torngarsuk
- Traveller
- Tree
- Tribe
- Tuft
- Tupaarnaq
- Tupilak
- Tyr
- Tørk
- Ujjuk
- Ulo
- Ulrik
- Uncle
- Unicorn
- Utgarda-Loki
- Valdemar
- Valkyrie
- Vandals
- Vanir
- Vega
- Venus
- Verlaine
- Victim
- Victory
- Vidar
- Viking
- Vizir
- Voice
- Völsung
- Walrus
- Warrior
- Weapon
- Wends
- Whale
- Wife
- Wild animals
- Wind
- Wine
- Witch
- Wizard
- Wolf PName
- Wolf
- Woman
- Worker
- Yann
- Yggdrasil
- Ymir
- Ægir
- Abroad
- Afghanistan
- Air
- Alaska
- Alps
- Alsace
- Altar
- Alta
- America
- Amsterdam
- Annoatok
- Antarctic
- Arctic
- Arjeplog
- Arvidsjaur
- Åsele
- Asgard
- Asia
- Atlantic
- Aurora
- Axel Heiberg Island
- Baffin
- Baltic Sea
- Barlow Inlet
- Bavaria
- Bayeux
- Bay
- Beach
- Bed
- Beechey Island
- Bergen
- Bering
- Berlevaag
- Berlin
- Bjarmaland
- Blekinge
- Body
- Bohuslän
- Boothia
- Borg
- Brandenburg
- Bridge
- Burgundy
- Bøen
- Cabin
- Caen
- Calvados
- Canada
- Cape Hotham
- Cape
- Car
- Castle
- Cathedral
- Caugé
- Chair
- Church
- City
- Claville
- Cliff
- Coast
- Colony
- Columbia
- Copenhagen
- Coppermine
- Cornwallis Island
- Corridor
- Country
- Creton
- Crime scene
- Dalarna
- Damville
- Day
- Denmark
- Door
- Dovrefjell
- Dresden
- Earth
- East
- Ekeby
- Elbe
- Emirat
- England
- Estonia
- Etah
- Europe
- Evening
- Eye
- Face
- Fall
- Falun
- Farm
- Faroes
- Feast
- Field
- Finland
- Finmark
- Fjeld
- Fjord
- Flensburg
- Floe
- Floor
- Flower
- Fog
- Foot
- Forest
- Fram
- France
- Franz Joseph Land
- Funen
- Future
- Gaul
- Germany
- Geyser
- Gjoa Haven
- Glacier
- Glimmingehus
- Godthåb
- Goteborg
- Goths
- Gotland
- Gottorp
- Granliden
- Grave
- Greenland
- Griffith
- Guichainville
- Guldbrandsdal
- Gulf of Bothnia
- Gulf
- Hair
- Hall
- Hälsingland
- Hamburg
- Hammerfest
- Haparanda
- Harbour
- Hardanger
- Havenfiord
- Heaven
- Helluland
- Helsingia
- Hill
- Hoard
- Holm
- Holstein
- Home
- Horizon
- House
- Hubbard
- Hudson Bay
- Hummock
- Hut
- Hvitramannaland
- Hyperborea
- Ice pack
- Iceberg
- Iceland
- Ice
- Igloo
- Inlandsis
- Inn
- Ireland
- Island
- Italia
- Jakobshavn
- Jämtland
- Japan
- Jerusalem
- Jokkmokk
- Jotunheim
- Jukkasjärvi
- Julianashaab
- Jutland
- Kalmannstunga
- Kamchatka
- Kampen
- Karasjok
- Kautokeino
- Kebnekajse
- Kitchen
- Kolmården
- Kongsberg
- Krakortok
- Kullaberg
- Labrador
- Labyrinthe
- Lake Mälaren
- Lake
- Lancaster Sound
- Landscape
- Land
- Lappland
- Lejre
- Leksand
- Littleton Island
- Liverpool
- Livonia
- Lofoten
- London
- Longyearbyen
- Louversey
- Lübeck
- Lulea
- Lund
- Lüneburg
- Lycksele
- Malmberget
- Markland
- Meadow
- Meat
- Mecklenburg
- Medelpad
- Melville Bay
- Mesnil Hardry
- Middle Ages
- Midgard
- Midsummer
- Mine
- Mora
- Morning
- Mound
- Mountain
- Muoniovara
- Muonio
- Muspelheim
- Nääs
- Nantes
- Nature
- Netherlands
- New Siberian Islands
- Newfoundland
- Night
- Nordkinn
- Nordland
- Normandy
- Norrbotten
- Norrland
- North Cape
- North Pole
- Northumberland
- Northwest Passage
- North
- Norway
- Nuuk
- Nyborg
- Ocean
- Odense
- Öland
- Oppland
- Oslo Christiania
- Östergötland
- Ostrobothnia
- Paamiut
- Paris
- Parlour living room
- Past
- Picture
- Pitea
- Place
- Polar Star
- Pole
- Police Station
- Pomerania
- Prague
- Prayer house
- Present
- Qeqertarsuaq
- Rättvik
- Realm
- Rendsburg
- Reykjavík
- Riley
- River
- Rjukan
- Rock
- Rome
- Room
- Roskilde
- Rostock
- Rügen
- Russia
- Sabine
- Sail
- Saxe
- Saxland
- Scandinavia
- Scania
- Schleswig
- School
- Schwerin
- Scotland
- Sea
- Sermitsialik
- Sheridan
- Shetland
- Shore
- Siberia
- Skálholt
- Skansen
- Sky
- Småland
- Smoke
- Solbakken
- Sörmland
- Sorsele
- South
- Soviet Union
- Spain
- Sparbo
- Spitsbergen
- Spring
- Stairs
- Stallworthy
- Star
- Station
- Stockholm
- Storån
- Strait
- Stralsund
- Strasbourg
- Stromstad
- Summer
- Sundsvall
- Svalbard
- Sverdrup Islands
- Swapavara
- Sweden
- Sydney
- Table
- Tåkern
- Tanum
- Tavastia
- Tcheliouskine
- Tent
- Thorshavn
- Thule
- Torneå
- Tornio
- Torno
- Track
- Train
- Troie
- Trollhättan
- Tromsø
- Trondheim
- Tønsberg
- Umea
- Universe
- Upernavik
- Uppland
- Uppsala
- Utgard
- Utsjoki
- Vadstena
- Valhalla
- Valley
- Vancouver
- Vandalia
- Vardø
- Värmland
- Västergötland
- Vega
- Vemmenhög
- Viborg
- Vienna
- Village
- Vinland
- Vittskövle
- Volcano
- Vordingborg
- Wall
- Waterfall
- Water
- Way
- Wellington Channel
- West Bothnia
- West
- Window
- Winter
- Wolf Strait
- Wolstenholme
- Wood
- World
- Year
- Yggdrasil
- Zealand
- Aesthetic
- Age
- Anarchy
- Archeology
- Art
- Auctoritas
- Beautiful
- Begin
- Carving
- Catholic
- Charity
- Chinese
- Christianity
- Christian
- Christmas
- Chronicle
- Circle
- Civilization
- Cold
- Concept
- Conscience
- Constantia
- Consumption
- Crime
- Cross
- Culture
- Danger
- Danish
- Darkness
- Dark
- Death
- Destin
- Doute
- Dream
- Dutch
- Duty
- Ecole
- Ecology
- Economy
- Education
- End
- Equality
- Ethic
- European
- Evil
- Faith
- Favor
- Fear
- Fides
- Form
- Fortitude
- French
- Frozen
- Frugalitas
- Fusion
- Future
- Game
- German
- Global Warning
- Good
- Grace
- Graffiti
- Gravitas
- Hole
- Honour
- Hope
- Human being
- Hunger
- Hurt
- Ibsenism
- Independance
- Irish
- Italian
- Justice
- Knowledge
- Language
- Liberty
- Life
- Light
- Line
- Literature
- Logic
- Love
- Luck Joy Happiness
- Madness
- Magic
- Majestas
- Manes
- Mars
- Mediterranean
- Melancholia
- Melting
- Memory
- Moravian Church
- Mort
- Mythology
- Myth
- Name
- Nation
- Native
- Nature
- Norwegian
- Open
- Opposition
- Past
- Peace
- Philosophy
- Picturesque
- Pietas
- Pleasure
- Poetry
- Polar
- Politics
- Power
- Present
- Problem
- Production
- Prudence
- Quiet
- Race
- Ragnarök
- Reality
- Religion
- Responsibility
- Rune
- Saga
- Salvation
- Scandinavian
- Scenery
- Science
- Sign
- Slavic
- Speed
- State
- Strength
- Suffering
- Swedish
- System
- Technique
- Temperance
- Temptation
- Time
- Tradition
- Unité
- Value
- Venus
- Victory
- Virtus
- Warm
- War
- Werewolf
- Wheel
- Whiteness
- Wild
- Wisdom
- Wonder Amazement
- Word
- Work