Vladimir Propp

Vladimir Propp was a Russian and Soviet formalist scholar who analyzed the basic plot components of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible narrative elements. Propp extended the Russian Formalist approach to narratology (the study of narrative structure). Where, in the Formalist approach, sentence structures had been broken down into analysable elements. Propp developed a character theory for studying media texts and productions, which indicates that there were 7 broad character types in the 100 tales he analysed, which could be applied to other media.


His theory takes the following sequence:

Characters


1. The hero (seeks something)
2. The villain (opposes the hero)
3. The donor (helps the hero by providing a magic object)
4. The dispatcher (sends the hero on his way)
5. The false hero (falsely assuming the role of hero)
6. The helper (gives support to the hero)
7. The princess (the reward for the hero but also needs to be
protected from the villain
8. Her father

Narrative Functions


Preparation (or 1st sphere: the introductory sequence):
P1. A member of the family leaves home
P2. A prohibition or rule is imposed on the hero
P3. The prohibition or rule is broken
P4. The villain makes and attempt at reconnaissance
P5. The villain learns something about his victim
P6. The villain tried to deceive the victim to get possession of
his/her belongings
P7. The victim unknowingly helps the villain by being deceived or
influenced by the villain

Complication (or 2nd sphere: The body of the story):
C1. The villain harms a member of the family
C2. A member of the family lacks or desires something
C3. This lack or misfortune is made known; the hero is given a
request or a command and he goes on a mission or quest
C4. The seeker (often the hero) plans action against the villain

Transference (or 3rd sphere: The donor sequence (magic agent is obtained):
T1. The hero leaves home
T2. The hero is tested, attached, interrogated and, as a result,
receives either a magical agent or a helper
T3. The Hero reacts to the actions of the future donor
T4. The hero uses the magical agent
T5. The hero is transferred to the general location of the object of
his mission or quest

Struggle (or 4th sphere: The hero’s return):
S1. The hero and the villain join in direct combat
S2. The hero is branded
S3. The villain is defeated
S4. The initial misfortune or lack is put right

Return (still 4th sphere):
R1. The hero returns
R2. The hero is pursued
R3. The hero is rescued from pursuit
R4. The hero arrives home or elsewhere and is not recognised
R5. A false hero makes false claims
R6. A difficult task is set for the hero
R7. The task is accomplished

Recognition :
Re1. The hero is recognised
Re2. The false hero/villain is exposed
Re3. The false hero is transformed
Re4. The villain is punished
Re5. The hero is married and crowned