The Structural Analysis of Sesotho Folktales: Propp’s Approach

Abstract

This study attempts to show that Vlamidir Propp‟s Morphological Analysis of Russian Folktales has an influence in the way Sesotho folktales are being analysed. Fifteen Sesotho folktales were analysed (but in this paper only two are used as examples) adopting his method and it was observed that both folktales display some of Propp‟s 31 functions. Although some of these folktales display as much as 16–20 functions, the average of seven functions is observed throughout the analysis in all folktales. This study recommends that the seven average functions that were observed in the analyses should be regarded as basic model in analysing Sesotho folktales, and that every Sesotho folktale should display seven or more functions as stipulated in Propp‟s analysis. The study concludes by affirming that Propp was influential in the analysis of Sesotho folktales.