Propps Character Theory

Vladimir Propp.

Vladimir Propp developed a character theory that stated that there are only 7 character types in the 100 fairy tales that he analysed. his theory is that these can be applied to any story. 

The 7 types if character are:

1. The villain (struggles against the hero)
2. The donor (prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object)
3. The (magical) helper (helps the hero in the quest)
4. The princess (person the hero marries, often sought for during the narrative)
5. The false hero (perceived as good character in beginning but emerges as evil)
6. The dispatcher (character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off)
7. The hero or victim/seeker hero, reacts to the donor, weds the princess