Vladimir Propp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vladimir Propp
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Vladimir Propp in 1928
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| Born | Hermann Waldemar Propp 29 April 1895 St. Petersburg, Russian Empire |
| Died | 22 August 1970 (aged 75) Leningrad, Russian SFSR, USSR |
| Occupation | Folklorist, scholar |
| Nationality | Russian, Soviet |
| Subject | Folklore of Russia, folklore |
Vladimir Yakovlevich Propp (Russian: Владимир Яковлевич Пропп; 29 April 1895 – 22 August 1970) was a Soviet scholar. He studied Russian folk tales to find their basic building blocks. He wanted to understand how these stories were put together.
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About Vladimir Propp
Vladimir Propp was born on April 29, 1895, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His family had German roots but lived as Russians. He went to Saint Petersburg State University from 1913 to 1918. There, he studied Russian and German languages and literature. After graduating, he taught Russian and German in schools. Later, he became a college teacher.
His Big Idea: Story Structure
In 1928, Propp published his famous book, Morphology of the Folktale. This book was a huge step forward in studying folklore. It looked at the morphology (the structure) of fairy tales. At first, people in the West didn't notice his work much. But after it was translated into English in 1958, it became very important.
His ideas influenced famous thinkers like Claude Lévi-Strauss. Today, Propp's ideas are used to study all kinds of stories. This includes books, movies, TV shows, and even games. He showed how many different stories share a similar hidden structure.
Propp's University Life
In 1932, Propp joined Leningrad University (which was Saint Petersburg University before). After 1938, he led the Department of Folklore. This department later became part of the Russian Literature Department. Propp taught at the university until he passed away in 1970.
Propp's Main Books
Vladimir Propp wrote several important books about folklore:
- Morphology of the Tale (1928): His most famous work about how fairy tales are built.
- Historical Roots of the Wonder Tale (1946): This book looked at where fairy tales came from.
- Russian Epic Song (1955–1958): A study of long, heroic Russian poems.
- Popular Lyric Songs (1961): About everyday Russian songs.
- Russian Agrarian Feasts (1963): Explored old Russian farming festivals.
Some of his other writings were collected and published after he died. These included books on comedy and laughter, and a book called The Russian Folktale.
How Fairy Tales Work
Propp studied 100 Russian fairy tales collected by Alexander Afanasyev. He found that these tales often followed a pattern. He identified 31 main actions or "functions" that happen in a specific order. Not every tale has all 31 functions, but they always appear in the same sequence. This way of looking at stories, focusing on the order of events, is called "syntagmatic" analysis.
The 31 Functions of a Fairy Tale
After a story sets the scene, a fairy tale will use some of these 31 actions, always in the same order:
1. ABSENTATION: Someone leaves home, like the hero or a family member. This creates the first problem. 2. INTERDICTION: The hero is told not to do something (e.g., "Don't go there!"). 3. VIOLATION: The hero or someone else breaks the rule. This often leads to trouble. 4. RECONNAISSANCE: The villain tries to find out important information, maybe by using a disguise. 5. DELIVERY: The villain gets the information they need about their victim. 6. TRICKERY: The villain tries to trick someone to get something valuable. 7. COMPLICITY: The victim is fooled or forced to help the villain, letting them do bad things. 8. VILLAINY or LACKING: The villain harms someone (e.g., kidnapping, stealing). Or, the hero realizes something important is missing or needed. 9. MEDIATION: The hero finds out about the problem or the villain's actions. 10. BEGINNING COUNTERACTION: The hero decides to fix the problem, like finding a magical item or rescuing someone. 11. DEPARTURE: The hero leaves home with a clear goal. Their adventure begins! 12. FIRST FUNCTION OF THE DONOR: The hero meets a magical helper, called a donor. The donor might test the hero. 13. HERO'S REACTION: The hero responds to the donor's test, perhaps by passing it or helping someone. 14. RECEIPT OF A MAGICAL AGENT: The hero gets a magical item or help because of their good actions. 15. GUIDANCE: The hero is led to an important place, like the villain's lair. 16. STRUGGLE: The hero and villain meet and fight, either in battle or a contest. 17. BRANDING: The hero gets a special mark, like a scar or a unique item. 18. VICTORY: The hero defeats the villain. 19. LIQUIDATION: The problems from earlier in the story are fixed. Spells are broken, and captives are freed. 20. RETURN: The hero travels back home. 21. PURSUIT: An enemy chases the hero. 22. RESCUE: The hero escapes from the chase, perhaps by hiding or being helped. 23. UNRECOGNIZED ARRIVAL: The hero arrives somewhere but isn't recognized. 24. UNFOUNDED CLAIMS: A false hero pretends to be the real hero or makes false claims. 25. DIFFICULT TASK: The hero is given a hard challenge, like solving riddles or a test of strength. 26. SOLUTION: The hero successfully completes the difficult task. 27. RECOGNITION: The hero is finally recognized, often because of their special mark. 28. EXPOSURE: The false hero or villain is revealed for who they really are. 29. TRANSFIGURATION: The hero gets a new, improved appearance. 30. PUNISHMENT: The villain gets what they deserve for their bad actions. 31. WEDDING: The hero marries and is rewarded, often becoming a ruler.
Sometimes, these functions can be changed or repeated. For example, a hero might get a magical item early on.
Main Characters in Fairy Tales
Propp also found that all characters in fairy tales fit into 7 main roles:
- The villain: The bad character who causes problems for the hero.
- The dispatcher: The character who sends the hero on their adventure. This is often the princess's father.
- The helper: A magical being or friend who helps the hero.
- The princess or prize: What the hero is trying to get or save. The hero often marries the princess at the end.
- The donor: A character who tests the hero and then gives them a magical object or special help.
- The hero: The main character who goes on the quest, defeats the villain, and fixes things.
- The false hero: Someone who tries to take credit for the hero's actions or marry the princess.
Sometimes, one character can play more than one role. For example, a father might send his son on a quest and also give him a sword, acting as both the dispatcher and the donor.
Criticism of Propp's Ideas
Some scholars thought Propp's ideas were too strict. One famous critic was structuralist Claude Lévi-Strauss. He argued that Propp focused too much on the order of events. Propp, however, believed his method was very useful for understanding stories.
See also
