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Vladimir ProppRussian folklorist, one of the founders of modern text theory
Date of Birth: 29.04.1895
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Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Teaching Career
- Morphology of the Folktale
- Recognition and Global Impact
- Structuralism and Narrative Theory
- Influence on Subsequent Research
- Legacy and Recognition in the USSR
Early Life and Education
Vladimir Yakovlevich Propp was born on April 17 (29), 1895, in Saint Petersburg. From 1914 to 1918, he pursued studies in Russian and German philology at Petrograd University.
Teaching Career
After graduating, Propp taught German language at various universities in Leningrad. In 1932, he joined the faculty of Leningrad State University (LSU), where he would teach until 1969. He held positions in the departments of Romance-Germanic Philology, Folklore, and Russian Literature.
Morphology of the Folktale
One of Propp's earliest publications was the monograph "Morphology of the Folktale," published in 1928. Initially received with limited attention, this work would later become a seminal text in the field of folklore studies.
Recognition and Global Impact
In the 1940s and 1950s, Propp solidified his reputation as a leading folklorist with works such as "Historical Roots of the Magic Tale" (1946) and "Russian Heroic Epic" (1955). The 1958 English translation of "Morphology of the Folktale" gained him international recognition.
Structuralism and Narrative Theory
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Propp's work intersected with emerging structuralist and generative grammar methodologies. His identification of a limited set of "functions" and a formal apparatus for generating narrative structures aligned with these theories, establishing his relevance beyond folklore.
Influence on Subsequent Research
Propp's work significantly influenced scholars in various fields, including folklore, semiotics, and literary theory. His ideas resonated with researchers such as Claude Lévi-Strauss, Algirdas Julien Greimas, and Seymour Chatman. Linguists, discourse theorists, and cognitive scientists also found inspiration in his work.
Legacy and Recognition in the USSR
The global acclaim for "Morphology of the Folktale" brought renewed attention to Propp's later publications. His body of work is now considered a cohesive whole, and his contributions are recognized as foundational to the understanding of narrative structures and discourse analysis.
