Structuralism · English Literature

What is a 'Mytheme' according to Claude Lévi-Strauss?

  1. A myth that has been thoroughly disproven by scholars
  2. The smallest significant narrative unit within a myth
  3. A recurring character archetype found across all myths
  4. The climactic resolution of a traditional folk tale
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Correct answer: The smallest significant narrative unit within a myth

Lévi-Strauss broke myths down into 'mythemes'—short sentences or relationships—to show how they are rearranged in different cultures to resolve the same fundamental human contradictions.

Difficulty: Medium Question 19 of 20

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