By Eleanor Finch
Vladimir Propp, a Russian folklorist and structuralist scholar, made a lasting contribution to genre theory through his morphological analysis of Russian fairy tales. In his seminal book *Morphology of the Folktale* (1928), Propp examined over one hundred tales and proposed that they all followed a shared narrative structure composed of 31 distinct narrative functions.
Rather than focusing on character psychology or thematic depth, Propp analyzed the sequence of plot events and identified recurring "functions"—such as departure, interdiction, violation, trickery, and return—that reappeared in consistent order across stories. He also grouped characters into specific roles like the Hero, the Villain, the Donor, the Helper, and the Princess, not based on personality but on what actions they perform in the story.
Propp’s method marked a significant departure from earlier literary analysis, emphasizing the structure of narrative over content or interpretation. His work laid the groundwork for structuralist and formalist approaches to genre, influencing later thinkers like Claude Lévi-Strauss and even contemporary screenwriting guides.
In genre studies, Propp’s insights are particularly useful in understanding genres that rely on formulaic storytelling—such as children’s animation, fantasy films, and adventure narratives. His model shows that even fantastical or "childlike" stories follow a highly patterned logic, making them ideal subjects for structural analysis.
Today, Propp's narrative functions are still taught in film schools and literary programs, and his work remains a foundational point of reference in the study of genre, myth, and storytelling conventions.
Source: Vladimir Propp, Morphology of the Folktale; translated and edited editions.