Media Theories

Propp's Narrative:

Vladimir Propp, a Russian critic - mainly active in the 1920's - who published his paper Morphology of the Folk Tale in 1928. While the Soviet cinema was producing excellent films, Propp was essentially interested in the narrative of folk tales. He noticed that Folk tales were similar in many areas. The appearance of the following:

• The Hero – a character that seeks something.
• The Villain – who opposes or actively blocks the hero’s quest.
• The Donor – who provides an object with magical properties.
• The Dispatcher – who sends the hero on his/her quest via a message.
• The False Hero – who disrupts the hero’s success by making false claims.
• The Helper – who aids the hero.
• The Princess – acts as the reward for the hero and the object of the villain’s plots.
• Her Father – who acts to reward the hero for his effort.

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Richard Dyer's Star Theory:

Richard Dyer's theory says that 'stars' are constructed for the use of media. It also says that it is important that if the 'stars' image can be designed for a certain audience so that these traits can be copied to the interest of that particular audience. Richard Dyer also believed that 'pop-stars' have a major advantage over 'film-stars' as pop-stars are able to build their constructed image over a period of time, of which film-stars rely on the films that they star in for their image/reputation to build.

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Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory:

This theory explains how women can be seen within many different media forms. From a male heterosexual point of view, Mulvey suggests that the audience view the films in two ways: 

• Voyeuristically
• Fetishistically

As audiences watch films and TV programmes without being watched by the characters they become 'onlookers'

 of their lives. Therefore they become voyeurs of the people on screen. Voyeurism involves turning the woman into a fetish so it becomes increasingly beautiful but more objectified.

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