RESEARCH - Appling Vladimir Propp's Theory

Vladimir Propp

17 April 1895 - 22 August 1970

Propp's theory was that fairy tales could be studied and compared by examining their plots and so produced a analysis which reduced fairy tales to a series of actions performed by the characters in a play, also known as dramatis personae. He found within a play there were 31 functions which make up the play from the beginning to the end, including the function of the different characters which have a part; how they get introduced and their ways of leaving. Below is his initial production of the broad character types in the 100 tales he analysed:

1. The Villain — the one against the hero.
2. The Donor — prepares the hero for defeat by giving them a magical object.
3. The Magical Helper — helps the hero when in trouble or by request.
4. The Princess — promised to the hero but is not completely his, usually because of the villia which, in order for the hero to gain his princess or prize,  involves him having to defeat the villian then being able to marry her
5. Her Father — gives tasks to the hero/catches out the false hero; as identified by Propp, for the proper function of the play, the relationshiop between the princess and her father should not be clearly distinguished.
6. The Dispatcher — character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.
7. The Hero — reacts to the donor, defeats the villian and weds the princess.
8. False hero — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess but is caught out by the princess' father.

Unfortunately, I was unable to retrieve a music video which helps to establish Propp's theory, however, I was able to find a play which acts out his very theory, Romeo & Julliet (1996)...