Morphology of the Folktale

Brief Overview

In his book "Morphology of the Folktale," Vladimir Yakovlevich Propp embarks on a bold and inspiring journey into the depths of the fairy tale, unveiling its inner architecture. With masterful precision, the author analyzes the structure of Russian folktales, identifying the unchanging functions of characters and the sequence of events that form the skeleton of the narrative. Propp offers an original system in which each function is like a link in a chain, and the heroes—be they donor, villain, or helper—assume their roles not by chance, but according to the strict laws of the fairy-tale world. His work becomes a key to understanding the universal mechanisms of folklore, allowing us to see behind the diversity of plots a single, harmonious, and elegant construction where wonder and order are woven into an inseparable whole.