Wayne Watson wrote:
"What about the underlying methodology behind this?"

Please refer to the 3rd. edition of "Antennas for All Applications", by
John D. Kraus with a host of other professors, for answers to nearly all
your questions. Kraus organizes antennas by types.

The dipole is the simplest complete antenna. But, the first practical
antenna was patented by Marconi. He was interested in communications
over the ocean, so only 1/2 of a dipole is needed. The return circuit is
provided by the ocean. Sea water is nearly lossless.

Marconi imagined the antenna as a capacitor plate.. Then he discovered
the antenna worked about as well with just the connectng wires inplace,
without the plate. As the 19th century turned into the 20th century,
Marconi spanned the Atlantic with signals from his antennas.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI