Vladimir Propp

The Hero
They are often the
protagonist or a major
character that the
audience associates most
strongly with. Sometimes
they are the person around
which the story is told. As
well as their ‘hero’ status
they may also take on the
role of victim or seeker.
 The Villain

The antagonist , they are a

contrast to the hero and
usually opposes them.
Typically they are morally
bad, highlighting the
goodness of the hero and
may seek to prevent the
hero from achieving their
goal
The Princess
The princess is often a ‘reward’ for
the hero or may be wooed by the
false hero. They may be seen very
little in the story perhaps only
appearing at the end or could be
an integral character who
accompanies the hero on their
mission where he may win her
heart by the actions he shows
throughout. The princess may also
be the object which is deliberately
sought after by the hero perhaps
finding where the villain has taken
her.
 The Princess father
The princess’s father is a key figure for
the hero to persuade, as the father is
almost always protective of his
daughter. He may be the one to
dispatch the hero on his mission to
save the princess. The father may also
be in competition in some way with
the hero for the princess’ affections
and a triangle may form. On the other
hand, he may be villainous and lock
his daughter away; who the hero is
trying to rescue her from
 The False hero
Appears to act heroically and may even
be initially mistaken for the real hero. The
character may at first appear good but
really is evil, they will try to steal the hero’s
thunder, grab all the credit and may
even try to win over the princess
 The Helper
The helper supports the hero on
their quest, they may be present
throughout the story or appear at
critical moments to provide
support
 The Donor

The donor is a person who gives

the hero an object that helps
them either by empowering
them or is important for
completing their quest. This role
can be combined with that of a
helper
 The Dispatcher
The dispatcher is the character who
send the hero on their mission.
Sometimes the dispatcher may be the
princess; father who gives the hero a set
of quests to be completed before he
gains the hand of the princess