When "Formalism" Meets Folk Literature

V.Propp is a prominent folk artist of Russia.Morphological study of folktale,a set of complete methods of studying folk Literature he put forward,has exerted significant influence on later generations."Valuing forms and overlooking contents" has always been a controversial part of his folk literature theory.The feature of "Formalism" becomes an unavoidable important characteristics for the scholars who study his folk literature theory.This thesis will conduct researches on the formalistic elements in Propp’s morphological study of folktale,clarifying the theoretic structure,probing into the way of production and concluding the influence.The whole thesis consists of three parts : the introduction,the main body and the conclusion.To begin with,the value and significance of this study will be explained in the introduction part.The paper will briefly introduce the research status of Propp’s morphological study of folktale at home and abroad,and put forward my own opinions,as well as interpret the studying methods.Furthermore,the main body will elaborate the origin,the connotation,and the theoretic core of Propp’s morphological study of folktale,trying to holistically and objectively present the features and deficiencies of the theory.Then it will analyze the formalistic characteristics of Propp’s morphological study of folktale,and to expound the rationality and necessity of formalistic elements in morphological study of folktale by combining formalism standpoints.Afterwards,it will discuss the origin of the formalistic elements in Propp’s morphological study of folktale.The final part of the main body will analyze the impacts of Propp’s theory on later narrative theories regarding to its formalistic and structural features,and Greimas’ s theory will be elaborately dicussed and interpreted.At last,the conclusion will summarize the viewpoints of the whole thesis,and discuss the necessity of studying the formalistic features of Propp’s morphological study of folktale,hoping researchers to be more holistic when study and employ the theory.Meanwhile,the conclusion appeals more attention and effort for the conflict between Propp’s folk literature theory mode and the actual diversity of literary works.