Theory: Vladimr Propp

Propp, looked at the components of Russian Fairytales and found 8 broad character types that were reoccurent in all the stories he analysed:

The villain;

The donor (gives the hero some magical object);

The (magical) helper who helps the hero in the quest;

The princess (person the hero marries OR a dream or desire which is sought after in the same way);

Her father;

The dispatcher (who sends the hero off);

The hero/victim;

The false hero or usurper.

However these character types can be critisited, partly because they are so broad.

Our film would certain contain at least 3 of these character types

EJ