Propps and Todorov

Vladimir Propp and Tzvetan Todorov

                  

Vladimir Propps

Vladimir Propp was a Soviet folklorist and scholar who analysed the basic plot components of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible narrative elements.

Propp suggested that every narrative has eight different character types, these character types are:

·         The Villain – fights the hero in some way

·         The Dispatcher – character who makes the villain’s evil known and sends the hero off.

·         The Helper (sidekick) – helps the hero throughout the quest.

·         The princess or prize – the hero deserves her throughout the story, for defeating the evil. (the happy ever after)

·         Her Father – gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero.

·         The Donor – prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.

·         The hero or victim/ seeker hero – reacts to the donor, wins the princess.

·         False hero – takes credit for the hero’s actions.

He broke down the stories into morphemes and identified 31 elements that comprised the structure of many stories. 

·       1. Assentation: Someone goes missing

·       2. Interdiction: Hero is warned

·       3. Violation of interdiction

·       4. Reconnaissance: Villain seeks something

·       5. Delivery: The villain gains information

·       6. Trickery: Villain attempts to deceive victim

·       7. Complicity: Unwitting helping of the enemy

·       8. Villainy and lack: The need is identified

·       9. Mediation: Hero discovers the lack

·       10. Counteraction: Hero chooses positive action

·       11. Departure: Hero leave on mission

·       12. Testing: Hero is challenged to prove heroic qualities

·       13. Reaction: Hero responds to test

·       14. Acquisition: Hero gains magical item

·       15. Guidance: Hero reaches destination

·       16. Struggle: Hero and villain do battle

·       17. Branding: Hero is branded

·       18. Victory: Villain is defeated

·       19. Resolution: Initial misfortune or lack is resolved

·       20. Return: Hero sets out for home

·       21. Pursuit: Hero is chased

·       22. Rescue: pursuit ends

·       23. Arrival: Hero arrives unrecognized

·       24. Claim: False hero makes unfounded claims

·       25. Task: Difficult task proposed to the hero

·       26. Solution: Task is resolved

·       27. Recognition: Hero is recognised

·       28. Exposure: False hero is exposed

·       29. Transfiguration: Hero is given a new appearance

·       30. Punishment: Villain is punished

·       31. Wedding: Hero marries and ascends the throne

Tzvetan Todorov

Tzvetan Todorov was a Bulgarian philosopher who lived in France since 1963.  He has published a total of 21 books.

Todorov’s narrative theory states that most stories’ or plots follow the same pattern and that there are five steps for every plot.

·         Equilibrium – Opening to a story, happy start all characters are content and living life as they should

·         A Disruption – Will feature a problem or something will disrupt the happiness

·         Realisation – Everyone has realised the problem or chaos

·         Restored order – The characters try to repair the damage.

·         Equilibrium again – The problem has been resolved and normality can resume again