Morphology of the Folktale

Main Ideas

• Vladimir Propp reveals the inner architecture of the fairy tale, uncovering an immutable sequence of functions, like musical notes that define the harmony of the narrative.
• The author asserts that the variety of fairy-tale plots is built on a limited number of structural elements, which he calls character functions, and each function occupies a strictly defined place in the story.
• Propp introduces the concept of folktale morphology, comparing it to the morphology of a living organism, where outward diversity conceals a single narrative skeleton.
• The book formulates the idea of typical fairy-tale roles—such as donor, helper, antagonist—that are inseparably linked to certain functions and the movement of the plot.
• Propp's research opens the way to the scientific analysis of folklore, allowing us to see behind the colorful narrative trappings the strict order and regularity inherent in the fairy-tale world.