Vladimir Propps Structural Analysis of Folktales - Essay Example

? Vladimir Propp’s Structural Analysis of Folktales Vladimir Propp’s Structural Analysis of Folktales A tale is one of the most basic types of literature and it comes in different forms such as fairy tales, folk tales, tales about animals and many others. These tales have become common in all cultures since they have been, and quite possibly still are, used as precautionary tales and sometimes as a way of making sense of things around people (Levi-Strauss, 1955). These tales change together with time, however as some scholars put it, the old and basic elements of tales will never die out and will simply be presented from one new form to another as the tales are continually renewed. Thus the genre of fairy tales will somehow always be classic and also modern. Russian scholar Vladimir Propp (1895-1970) in his Morphology of the Folktale (published in Russian in 1928), came up with an influential study in structuralist narratology. He analysed a number of folk tales from his country and was able to identify common themes within them. Propp broke down the folk tales into morphemes (into sections that can be analysed) and he was able to identify 31 narratemes (narrative functions) that made up the structure of the stories. In addition to the 31 narrative functions identified by Propp, he also identified 7 basic character types (known as ‘dramatic/dramatis personae’) who undertake these functions (Simpson, 2004). The dramatic/dramatis personae can be summed up as the following: 1 The Hero (may also be the victim sometimes). 2 The Dispatcher – the character who sends the protagonist on his/her quest. 3 The Helper — the character who helps the protagonist on his/her journey. 4 The Villain 5 The donor — the character who gives the hero some magical item to aid him in his/her quest. 6 The princess – the character the protagonist marries or saves 7 False hero — the character who tries to discredit the hero (in classical tales, tries to marry the princess) ("Vladimir Propp, Levi-Strauss." n.d.). Basically Propp’s theory seeks to define a tale into a series of sequences that usually occurred within Russian fairy tale. His theory defined not only the construction of a tale; instead it defined the tale as a whole. As stated by Scholes (1974), Myths, folktales, and fairytales are the prototypes of all narrative. Albeit modern narratives have developed and transformed the older fictional forms sometimes beyond recognition, their semblances to their older sources are still recognizable. Since the old stories have laid out the foundation for contemporary pieces, Propp’s analysis is definitely useful not only in understanding the underlying structures of Russian folk tales but of any other type of ‘tale’ as a whole. It is wise however to note that not all stories will contain Propp’s identified categories or if they do, the categories will need distortion or reorganization of sequence in order to fit into modern narratives (Simpson, 2004). For Propp, a character’s function is key element for every ‘tale’. He does not give importance to ‘who’ does a function or ‘how’ it is done; rather it is ‘what’ the characters do that is more important (Simpson, 2004). According to Propp, a story usually starts with an initial situation. Here the characters are often times introduced (named) and their roles are usually distributed (Koksharova, 2004). The initial situation is then followed by some or all of the 31 narrative functions that make up the body of the story. The first function is identified as Absentation. This function is characterized by the hero leaving his/her secure environment. Sometimes it is someone close to the protagonist who goes missing, later on to be rescued by the hero. Next follows Interdiction where the hero is advised against certain actions. However the protagonist ignores the warning and goes ahead with his/her plans. This function is known as Violation of Interdiction. The fifth function is known as Reconnaissance, this is the part where the villain tries to make inquiries and get more information about the protagonist. The plot thickens as the villain gains information about the protagonist. Also, other information may be gained by the antagonist that is sought after the main character. This function is named Delivery. The villain continues to antagonize the hero in the sixth function Trickery. The antagonist tries to cheat the victim or the hero to get his/her property or sometimes even their trust. Complicity comes after when the victim or protagonist is deceived by the antagonist and unwittingly helps the villain (Changingminds.org "Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale." n.d.). These first seven steps are part of the 1st sphere, known as Introduction. The first sphere introduces the situation and most of the main characters; also it sets the scene for more adventures to come. The next sphere is comprised of the “body of the story”; the “story proper” starts here and extends to the departure of the hero. It is made up of four functions namely Villainy and Lack, Mediation, Counteraction, and Departure (Changingminds.org "Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale." n.d.). Villainy and Lack is when the need in the story is identified. This stage is comprised of two parts, either or both which may appear in the narrative. In the first part the antagonist may cause some kind of harm (this may include theft, casting of spells, or even murder). In the second part a sense of lack is identified. Something is either recognized as lost or something becomes ‘desirable’ for some reason. The next function, Mediation, happens when the protagonist now discovers the harmful act or the lack of something. The protagonist now decides to act in order to resolve the lack of something or to defeat the villain who caused harm in the next step known as Counteraction. Finally Departure transpires and the protagonist leaves on a mission to pursue the goal (Changingminds.org "Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale." n.d.). The story now moves into the third sphere where the hero searches for methods to reach the goal, and receives a “magical aid” from a donor. The third sphere is comprised of eight functions namely Testing wherein the protagonist is tested, interrogated, attacked etc., to prove him/herself worthy of receiving help. Reaction - the protagonist reacts to the test, usually succeeding but sometimes they fail to do so and must take a different path. Acquisition – The protagonist receives an item (usually magical) as a reward for completing the test given by the donor. Sometimes the reward comes in the form of essential knowledge or some help from others, nevertheless these rewards are still important in order to attain the protagonist’s goal. Guidance - The protagonist moves on with the story, he/she travels to the place where the objective may be attained. Struggle – Confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonist takes place and battle ensues (Changingminds.org "Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale." n.d.). Branding – The protagonist is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf) in some way that changes them permanently. This may take place during or after the battle. Victory – The antagonist is defeated, often killed in combat but sometimes is also sparred (and often banished somewhere far where they can do no harm to the protagonist) after much pleading. Resolution – the initial act of villainy or lack is resolved (Changingminds.org "Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale." n.d.). The fourth sphere, known as “The Hero’s Return”, is the last and sometimes optional sphere of the story. In this part of the story the hero returns home to a hero’s welcome, however this does not occur always. The last sphere is made up of twelve functions identified as Return – The protagonist returns home. Pursuit– The protagonist is chased by someone who seeks to undermine (a false hero) or kill him/her. Rescue – The chase is ended when something happens to rescue the protagonist. Arrival – The protagonist arrives home unrecognized. Claim – The false hero makes unfounded claims to discredit the protagonist. Task – The protagonist is asked to complete a difficult task in order to prove his true character and worth. Solution – The difficult task is completed. Recognition – The protagonist is finally recognized, probably through the completion of the task or by the brand or mark he/she has received during or after the battle. Exposure – The false hero or villain is exposed Transfiguration – The protagonist is transformed (sometimes given a new appearance) in some way to better fit their new status. Punishment – The antagonist is punished. If he/she has not been killed during the battle, the villain is exposed of his/her true nature. And lastly, the Wedding – The protagonist is finally rewarded for all his/her actions. In classic tales the protagonist (often male) marries the beautiful princess and ascends the throne (Changingminds.org "Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale." n.d.). Although Propp based his theory on a thorough analysis of about 100 tales from the collection of Russian Folk tales by Afanasiev he also gives examples of tales and myths by different nations at different stages of their development in his research on the historical roots of fairy tales (Koksharova, 2004). Such findings may be used to support the notion of the universality of his theory. Propp’s Morphology of fairy tale has already been used countless of times to analyse Western literary and folk tales that seems to follow the standards raised by the “prototypical structure” of fairy tales (Koksharova, 2004). To prove this point, two modern literary masterpieces will be examined using Propp’s structural analysis: J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (Changingminds.org "Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale." n.d.). Text analysis As stated earlier, to further support the universality of Propp’s theory, it is perhaps fitting to use his structure to analyse the renowned novel “The Lord of the Rings” by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. It is important to keep in mind that although “Morphology of the Fairy Tale” was first published in 1928, it was not until 1958 that Propp’s work was translated into English. On the other hand “The Lord of the Rings” was written is stages between 1937 and 1949. Although Tolkien may have written his novels following the rules of prototypical fairy tale, chances are he was not aware of Propp’s theory at that time (Koksharova, 2004). Upon closer analysis, it seems that Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” fit most of the narrative functions proposed by Propp. For example, the first narrative function which is Departure manifested in the novel when Bilbo left the Shire. This is followed by the Interdiction when both Frodo and Bilbo are warned by Gandalf of the powers of the ring. Violation follows when Frodo does not heed the warnings given to him several times along the novel. Reconnaissance happens when Sauron constantly sends out his minions to search for Frodo and company. The function Delivery becomes evident when the Black Riders are able to locate Frodo (Koksharova, 2004). Villainy and lack is shown throughout the novel when Frodo and company are attacked by black riders and on one particular journey (to Rivendell), Frodo is critically wounded. Mediation is when the council at Rivendell agrees that the ring must be destroyed at the flames of Mount Doom. Counteraction is evident when Frodo agrees to take the ring to Mount Doom. Departure follows when the fellowship of the rings is formed (Koksharova, 2004). As for the function Testing, Frodo is tested many times by the Elves before giving him the items that will aid him in his journey. For Reaction, Frodo passes the tests the elves subject him to. Acquisition is when Frodo receives magical items from ‘donors’ such as Elven bread, clothes, a sword and the Light of Galadriel, among other things. Guidance manifested in the novel when, after a painstaking journey, Frodo (and Sam) arrives at Mount Doom. Struggle ensues when Frodo fights Gorlum at Mount Doom before finally destroying the ring. Also, a final battle between the forces of Sauron and the forces of Rohan, Gondor, the elves and dwarves takes place. Frodo experiences Branding when he is marked at the beginning of his journey by the black riders pursuing him. Also at Mount Doom, he loses a finger during his struggle with Gorlum. Victory is when Frodo overcomes Gorlum in their fight in Mount Doom. The forces of Sauron are defeated in the final battle. Then finally the Resolution occurs when the ring is destroyed (Koksharova, 2004). Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin Return to the Shire. As for Rescue, Frodo and Sam are rescued from the collapsing Mount Doom by gigantic eagles. The forces battling Sauron and his army are rescued by the spirits of fallen warriors led by Aragorn. Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin Arrives back at the Shire. Frodo is Recognized as a real hero when he arrives at Grey Haven and leaves with the elves back to their kingdom. Transfiguration occurs when Frodo’s transformation is more metaphorical rather than physical since it is his inner self that has changed much since the journey. Finally Punishment is delivered when Sauron, Saruman and their forces were destroyed. The last function which is Wedding is more applicable to Aragorn since he was the one who ascended the throne at Gondor and married Arwen, the daughter of Elrond (Lord of Rivendell) (Koksharova, 2004). Another example to support the universality of Propp’s theory is J.K. Rowling’s widely popular ‘Harry Potter’ series, which much like Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ was also made into a feature film. The narrative function of Departure is identified when Harry Potter’s parents die, then the Interdiction comes in when Harry’s relatives (the Dursleys) forbid him from entering Hogwart’s school of witchcraft and wizardry. Violation is when Harry decides to attend Hogwart’s (Whited, 2004). The 8th narrative function which is Villainy and lack in the book is when the Philosopher’s stone is deemed stolen/is missing. Mediation occurs when the Philosopher’s stone is reported to be stolen. Harry Departs and sets out to recover the Philosopher’s stone (Whited, 2004). The narrative function Testing happens when Harry frequently experiences unconscious spells. Acquisition is when Harry buys his own wand Harry receives his Nimbus 2000 before his first quiditch match. Harry also receives an invisibility cloak. Guidance is apparent when Harry takes the Hogwart’s Express at the beginning to arrive at the school of witchcraft and wizardry. The Struggle function becomes clear when Harry and Voldemort (residing in Professor Quirrel’s body) faces each other. Harry is Branded when he receives a scar on his forehead when Voldemort cursed him during an initial encounter (Whited, 2004). The Task function is the retrieval of the Philosopher’s stone. Solution is when Harry defeats Voldemort/Professor Quirrel and retrieves the Philosopher’s stone. Dumbledor Recognizes Harry’s heroic acts/retrieval of Philosopher’s stone. Followed by the Exposure of Professor Quirell as the villain/harbouring Voldemort in his own body. Transfiguration comes in to mind when Harry recognizes his self-worth. And finally, Punishment happens to Professor Quirell/Voldemort when they are defeated and turned into ashes (Whited, 2004). As mentioned earlier, although some of the functions are missing and the events do not necessarily follow the sequence, the analysis of the two modern texts still show that Propp’s theory may be applied to reveal the underlying structure not only of folk tales but also of other kinds of narratives. References Changingminds.org (n.d.) Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale. [online] Available at: http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/propp/propp.htm [Accessed: 25 Nov 2012]. Koksharova, I. (2004) Realisation and Exploitation of the Prototypical Fairy-Tale Structure in "Peter Pan", "The Wind in the Willows" and "Winnie-the-Pooh". [report] Tartu University, p.28. Levi-Strauss, C. (1955) The Structural Study of Myth. The Journal of American Folklore, 68 (270), Available at: http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/536768?uid=3738824&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21101418948201 [Accessed: 25 nov 2012]. Scholes, R. (1974). Structuralism in literature. An introduction. (Second printing.). New Haven and London, Yale University Press. Simpson, P. (2004) Stylistics: A Resource Book for Students. [e-book] Routledge. Available through: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415281058/ http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/0415281059/about/pdf/stylistics_b5.pdf [Accessed: 25 Nov 2012]. Whited, L. A. (2004). The ivory tower and Harry Potter: perspectives on a literary phenomenon. Columbia, University of Missouri Press. Read More