Fairy Tales and Vladimir Propp

Examples of Fairy Tales in Video Games:

Vladimir Propp:

Vladimir Propp was a scholar who wrote Morphology of the Folktale.

In his book, Propp breaks fown a large number of Russian folktales and studies the narrative structure. He depicted 31 functions within the fairy tales.

These functions are:

ABSENTATION: A member of a family leaves the security of the home
environment. This may be the hero or some other member of the family that the
hero will later need to rescue. This division of the cohesive family injects
initial tension into the storyline. The hero may also be introduced here, often
being shown as an ordinary person.
INTERDICTION: An interdiction is addressed to the hero ('don't go there',
'don't do this'). The hero is warned against some action (given an
'interdiction').
VIOLATION of INTERDICTION. The interdiction is violated (villain enters the
tale). This generally proves to be a bad move and the villain enters the story,
although not necessarily confronting the hero. Perhaps they are just a lurking
presence or perhaps they attack the family whilst the hero is away.
RECONNAISSANCE: The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance (either
villain tries to find the children/jewels etc.; or intended victim questions the
villain). The villain (often in disguise) makes an active attempt at seeking
information, for example searching for something valuable or trying to actively
capture someone. They may speak with a member of the family who innocently
divulges information. They may also seek to meet the hero, perhaps knowing
already the hero is special in some way.
DELIVERY: The villain gains information about the victim. The villain's
seeking now pays off and he or she now acquires some form of information, often
about the hero or victim. Other information can be gained, for example about a
map or treasure location.
TRICKERY: The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of
victim or victim's belongings (trickery; villain disguised, tries to win
confidence of victim). The villain now presses further, often using the
information gained in seeking to deceive the hero or victim in some way, perhaps
appearing in disguise. This may include capture of the victim, getting the hero
to give the villain something or persuading them that the villain is actually a
friend and thereby gaining collaboration.
COMPLICITY: Victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy. The
trickery of the villain now works and the hero or victim naively acts in a way
that helps the villain. This may range from providing the villain with something
(perhaps a map or magical weapon) to actively working against good people
(perhaps the villain has persuaded the hero that these other people are actually
bad).
VILLAINY or LACK: Villain causes harm/injury to family member (by abduction,
theft of magical agent, spoiling crops, plunders in other forms, causes a
disappearance, expels someone, casts spell on someone, substitutes child etc.,
commits murder, imprisons/detains someone, threatens forced marriage, provides
nightly torments); Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires
something (magical potion etc.). There are two options for this function, either
or both of which may appear in the story. In the first option, the villain
causes some kind of harm, for example carrying away a victim or the desired
magical object (which must be then be retrieved). In the second option, a sense
of lack is identified, for example in the hero's family or within a community,
whereby something is identified as lost or something becomes desirable for some
reason, for example a magical object that will save people in some way.
MEDIATION: Misfortune or lack is made known, (hero is dispatched, hears call
for help etc./ alternative is that victimized hero is sent away, freed from
imprisonment). The hero now discovers the act of villainy or lack, perhaps
finding their family or community devastated or caught up in a state of anguish
and woe.
BEGINNING COUNTER-ACTION: Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action.
The hero now decides to act in a way that will resolve the lack, for example
finding a needed magical item, rescuing those who are captured or otherwise
defeating the villain. This is a defining moment for the hero as this is the
decision that sets the course of future actions and by which a previously
ordinary person takes on the mantle of heroism.
DEPARTURE: Hero leaves home;
FIRST FUNCTION OF THE DONOR: Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc.,
preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper (donor);
HERO'S REACTION: Hero reacts to actions of future donor (withstands/fails
the test, frees captive, reconciles disputants, performs service, uses
adversary's powers against him);
RECEIPT OF A MAGICAL AGENT: Hero acquires use of a magical agent (directly
transferred, located, purchased, prepared, spontaneously appears, eaten/drunk,
help offered by other characters);
GUIDANCE: Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object
of the search;
STRUGGLE: Hero and villain join in direct combat;
BRANDING: Hero is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf);
VICTORY: Villain is defeated (killed in combat, defeated in contest, killed
while asleep, banished);
LIQUIDATION: Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search
distributed, spell broken, slain person revived, captive freed);
RETURN: Hero returns;
PURSUIT: Hero is pursued (pursuer tries to kill, eat, undermine the hero);
RESCUE: Hero is rescued from pursuit (obstacles delay pursuer, hero hides or
is hidden, hero transforms unrecognisably, hero saved from attempt on his/her
life);
UNRECOGNIZED ARRIVAL: Hero unrecognized, arrives home or in another country;
UNFOUNDED CLAIMS: False hero presents unfounded claims;
DIFFICULT TASK: Difficult task proposed to the hero (trial by ordeal,
riddles, test of strength/endurance, other tasks);
SOLUTION: Task is resolved;
RECOGNITION: Hero is recognized (by mark, brand, or thing given to him/her);
EXPOSURE: False hero or villain is exposed;
TRANSFIGURATION: Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome,
new garments etc.);
PUNISHMENT: Villain is punished;
WEDDING: Hero marries and ascends the throne (is rewarded/promoted).

Vladimir Propp also concluded that every character can be placed under
one of eight broader character types, these are:

The Villain – The one who struggles against the Hero.
The Donor – The one who prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
The Helper (magical) – Helps the Hero on the quest
The Princess – The Heros reward for their efforts
Her Father – The one who rewards the Hero
The Dispatcher – The one who sends the hero off on their adventure
The Hero – The one who reacts to the dispatcher and villain.
The False Hero - Disrupts the Hero on their adventure by making false claims.