Introduction

Vladimir Yakovlevich Propp was born in 1895 in St. Petersberg. He studied Russian and German Philosophy before becoming a teacher of both languages. In 1932 he joined what had become Leningrad University, eventually chairing the Department of Folklore until it was assimilated into that of Russian Literature. He remained on the faculty until his death in 1970.

Originally published in 1928, Morphology of the Folktale was not translated into English until 1958. It was Propp's response to contemporary analyses of Russia's oral tradition, which he considered to be clouded by the specific narrative content of the various texts being examined, typically causing inconsistencies in the division of story type peculiar to each commentator. By contrast Propp took his lead from botany, seeking to identify underlying types by their structural qualities, regardless of the specific narrative content - so, as the plant family demonstrates different genus, each boasting particular species, his analysis would seek to uncover the structural genus of which each particular tale would be a species member.

Morphology has been heralded and decried in about equal measure, but Propp undeniably had great impact upon studies of folklore. In my opinion, like Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces, Propp's work can be made a useful tool for developing effective stories not just in the genre of the folktale. In this blog I intend to provide an accessible overview of the structure he outlined and develop ideas about how it can be used in the context of modern fiction writing.

The Method

The core of Propp's method was to identify 31 recurring components common to all folktales - he referred to these as the Functions. A particular tale may not make use of every function, but all tales would rely on only these basic components. By identifying which functions a given tale employed, it could be identified as a particular type and catalogued accordingly. The purpose here is to reverse the use of the functions - not to deconstruct an existing story, but to identify a framework for constructing strong original narratives.

The Functions are not plot specific as such; they refer to types of activity which the dramatis personae - heroes, villains, helpers, adversaries - engage in over the course of the tale. For Propp, exactly how the functions are expressed was another matter entirely. For this reason they can be looked at as a simple map, for a journey that could be as dazzling or as mundane as the story-teller might wish to make it; bare bones literally waiting to be fleshed out.

The Functions

After first acknowledging the setting up of an environment for the tale to grow from, an "initial situation", the original 31 Functions identified by Propp were:

1. One of the members of a family absents himself from home
   
2. An interdiction is addressed to the Hero
   
3. The interdiction is violated
   
4. The Villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance
   
5. The Villain receives information about his victim
   
6. The Villain attempts to deceive his victim in order to take possession of him or his belongings
   
7. The victim submits to the deception and thereby unwittingly helps his enemy
   
8. The Villain causes harm or injury to a member of the family; or One member of a family either lacks something or desires to have something
   
9. Misfortune or lack is made known; the Hero is approached with a request or command; he is allowed to go or he is dispatched
   
10. The Seeker agrees to or decides upon counteraction
    
11. The Hero leaves home
    
12. The Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked, etc., which prepares the way for his receiving either a magical agent or helper
    
13. The Hero reacts to the actions of the future Donor
    
14. The Hero acquires the use of a magical agent
    
15. The Hero is transferred, delivered or led to the whereabouts of an object of search
    
16. The Hero and villain join in direct combat
    
17. The Hero is branded
    
18. The Villain is defeated
    
19. The initial misfortune or lack is liquidated
    
20. The Hero returns
21. The Hero is pursued
    
22. The rescue of the Hero from pursuit
23. The Hero, unrecognised, arrives home or in another country
    
24. A False Hero presents unfounded claims
    
25. A difficult Task is proposed to the Hero
26. The task is resolved
    
27. The Hero is recognised
28. The False Hero or Villain is exposed
29. The Hero is given a new appearance
    
30. The Villain is punished
31. The Hero is married and ascends the throne

These headings provide only the most superficial impression of the structure which Propp identified; nor do they convey the amazingly varied interpretations of these common themes which the great volumes of source material achieved. Morphology of the Folktale defines the Functions in great detail, using numerous examples to demonstrate how distinct each one can be in the service of different tales; it also qualifies the more straightforward interpretations where simpler or entirely contrary readings are possible.

I will not reproduce Propp's exhaustive notes in greater detail than this - Morphology of the Folktale is well worth reading for itself and my recommendation is that the interested reader purchase a copy for themselves. It is available online via the links below:

University of Texas Press | AmazonUK