Character Type and Function

Vladimir Propp suggested in 1928 that in any story there are only ever a limited number of character types, each of which had their own purpose in the narrative.

(Propp)

Propp's main character types

 Hero

The central protagonist of the narrative who drives it forward and has some kind of quest or mission to undertake in return for a reward. Traditionally male e.g. superman, but can be female in modern narratives e.g. Mulan

Heroine or princess

 Acts as a reward for the hero for succeeding in the quest e.g. Sleeping Beauty

Villain

 Seeks riches, glory and/or power, and also seeks to stop the hero from succeeding in the quest or mission, while presenting a genuine threat. They sometimes want the heroine for themselves. They can be male or female.

Donor or Mentor

 Gives the hero important information or equipment to help him (or her) in the quest. They are often represented as wise or having special powers, but are not able to do the quest without the hero e.g. the gargoyles from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

 However you have to be flexible when you classify characters into these types. Some characters fulfil two, or even more, functions. For example, the heroine could also be the helper. other character types have also been described that are not included in Propp's list.