The Rank-Raglan scale uses twenty-two biographical traits to distinguish mythic heroes from historical figures
The Rank-Raglan scale is a quantitative folkloric tool that uses twenty-two specific biographical milestones to determine if a figure is a mythic archetype or a historical person.
Developed by Otto Rank and Lord Raglan, this scale assigns points based on narrative patterns such as a miraculous birth, an attempt on the hero's life as an infant, and an unusual death on a hilltop. High scores indicate a figure is likely a 'mythotype' rather than a historical individual. On this 22-point scale, Oedipus scores a near-perfect 21, King Arthur earns 19, and Romulus scores 18. Even religious figures like Jesus have been evaluated using the scale, scoring approximately 20.
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