Walter Burkert

Walter Burkert was a German historian of religion known for his work on myth and ritual. He developed a formalist approach to studying myths, building on the work of Vladimir Propp. Burkert identified recurring patterns in myths, particularly in Greek mythology, and connected these patterns to fundamental biological or cultural "programs of action".1

For example, Burkert analyzed the "girl's tragedy" pattern in Greek myths, which involves a girl leaving home, seclusion, rape by a god, tribulation, and eventual rescue and assured future for her child. He argued this pattern reflects the biological sequence of puberty, defloration, pregnancy, and delivery. Similarly, he explained myths about scapegoating as reflecting real situations of survival through sacrifice, grounded in basic human needs. Burkert's work suggests that myths persist because they are rooted in fundamental aspects of human existence and biology.1