On Definition of Concepts “Fairy Tale” and “Magic Fairy Tale”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu30.2024.209Abstract
The article addresses the definitions of “fairy tale” and “magic fairy tale” within the context of Vladimir Propp’s morphology of the magic folktale. It delves into the observations made by numerous scholars regarding the structural similarities in fairy tale narratives, such as Carl Gustav Jung’s attribution of fairy tales to the collective unconscious and Alexander Veselovsky’s attempts to identify narrative structures. Critiques of existing classifications, which permitted the categorization of a single fairy tale into multiple categories simultaneously, provided the groundwork for Vladimir Propp to derive a sequence of events-functions through the analysis of a corpus of fairy tales. This sequence of 31 event-functions subsequently formed a distinct class of magic tales, defined by the adherence to established order. However, Propp himself acknowledges the potential inclusion of other works, such as myths, legends, and chivalric novels, within this category. Within the scope of this article, efforts are made to define the features of the genre “fairy tale” and to contemplate an alternative name for one of its classes, namely “magic fairy tale.” The necessity for a different name for the class of “magic fairy tales” arises from Propp’s observation that the term “magic” may not fully align with the content, considering the existence of fairy tales devoid of magical elements. Through the analysis of classical fairy tales from various cultural backgrounds, the main objectives of fairy tale narratives are identified: entertainment, education, preservation and transmission of cultural values, teaching of native languages, and cultivation of aesthetic sense. Additionally, characteristic features are revealed that aid in distinguishing prototypical fairy tales from other genres within Vladimir Propp’s morphology.
Keywords:
magic fairy tale morphology, fairy tale, magic tale, fairy tale narrative, event-function, forms of subjectifi cation of the narrative
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Articles of "The World of Russian Word" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.