Morphology of

Folktale

Morphology

Folktale

History of the

Problem

Why study of the general characteristics

of Folktale arouse:• Scholarly literature concerning

the tale is not especially rich.• Mostly texts themselves are

published• There are quite particular there

are no general works on the tale.• There are no general works on

the tale.

Professor Speranskij

- places the blame on the unknown general conclusion of folktale to an insufficient of material.

Vladimir Propp (1895-1970)

- a Russian trained as a philologist, meaning that he studied the historical development of language.

• most famous for Morphology of the Folktale.• analyzed many of his country's folk tales

and identified common themes within them.• broke down the stories into morphemes

(analyzable chunks) and identified 31 narratemes (narrative units) that comprised the structure of many of the stories.

• responded to Antti Aarne, who focused on motifs (i.e., repeated story elements) and developed the Aarne–Thompson tale type index, by arguing that Aarne identified patterns but ignored the function(s) of these elements.

• work would also go on to influence Roland Barthes and Claude Levi-Strauss, individuals working in mythology and folkloric studies. Given that Propp was interested in written language, his study of folklore has been criticized for its emphasis on the written form, disregarding that folklore had traditionally been transmitted orally.

Method and

Material

Examples: 1. Ivan marries a tsar’s daughter, is entirely

different to the marriage of the father to a widow with two daughters.

2. A hero receives money from his father in the form of 100 rubles and buys a wise cat with this money, whereas in second case, the hero is rewarded with a sum of money for an accomplished act of bravery.

Observations cited may be briefly formulated in the following manner:

1. Functions of characters serve as stable, independent of how and by whom they are fulfilled.

2. The number of functions known to the fairy tale is limited.

3. The sequence of functions is always identical.4. All fairy tales are of one type of regard to

their structure.

The Functions of Dramatis Personae

I. ABSENTATION (β) – one of the members of a family absents him from home.

II. INTERDICTION () – Hero is warnedIII. VIOLATION () – the interdiction is violatedIV. RECONNAISSANCE () – the villain seeks somethingV. DELIVERY () – the villain receives information

about his victim.VI. TRICKERY () – the villain attempts to deceive his

victim in order to take possession of him or of his belongings.

VII. COMPLICITY () – the victim submits to deception and thereby unwitting helps his enemy.

VIII.VILLAINY / LACK (A) – the villain causes harm or injury to a member of a family/one of a family either lack something or desires to have something.

IX. MEDIATION (B) – misfortune of lack is made known; the hero is approached with a request or command; he is allowed to go or he is dispatched.

X. BEGINNING COUNTERACTION (C) – hero chooses positive action.

XI. DEPARTURE (↑) – the hero leaves home.XII. THE FUNCTION OF THE DONOR (D) –the hero is tested,

interrogated, attacked, etc., which prepares the way for his receiving either a magical agent or helper.

XIII. THE HERO’S REACTION (E) – the hero reacts to the actions of the future donor/ the hero responds to the test.

XIV. PROVISION OR RECEIPT OF MAGICAL AGENT (F) – the hero gain magical items.

XV. SPATIAL TRANSFERENCE BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS, GUIDANCE (G) – the hero is transferred, delivered, or led to the whereabouts of an object of search.

XVI.STRUGGLE (H) – the hero and the villain join in direct combat.

XVII.BRANDING, MARKING (J) – the hero is branded.XVIII.VICTORY (I) – the villain is defeated.XIX. RESOLUTION (K) – the initial misfortune or lack is

resolved.XX. RETURN (↓) – the hero returns.XXI. PURSUIT, CHASE (Pr) – the hero is pursued.

XXII.RESCUE (Rs) – rescue of the hero from the pursuit.XXIII.UNRECOGNIZED ARRIVAL (O) – the hero, unrecognized,

arrives home or in another country.XXIV.UNFOUNDED CLAIMS (L) – a false hero presents unfounded

claims.XXV.DIFFICULT TASK (M) – a difficult task is proposed to the hero.XXVI.SOLUTION (N) – the task is resolved.XXVII.RECOGNITION (Q) – the hero is recognized.XXVIII.EXPOSURE (Ex) – the false hero or villain is exposed.XXIX.TRNSFIGURATION (T) – the hero is given new appearance.XXX.PUNISHMENT (U) – the villain is punished.XXXI.WEDDING (W) – the hero is married and ascends the throne.