Propp's Morphology

Propp's Morphology is an analytical framework developed by the Russian folklorist Vladimir Propp to study the structure of fairy tales. He identified a set of 31 narrative functions and character roles that appear consistently in many stories. These functions, such as "absentation," "interdiction," and "hero's victory," describe what happens in the story, while character roles—like the hero, villain, and helper—define who participates. By breaking down tales into these elements, Propp showed how diverse narratives share common patterns, helping us understand storytelling's universal aspects and the underlying dynamics of folklore and myths across cultures.