Uncovering the Impact of Propp's Character Archetypes in Narrative Design
- Alice Kent | amknarratives
- Feb 6
- 9 min read
Updated: Feb 8
Vladimir Propp was one of literature's most famous theorists of the 20th century and is widely regarded as being responsible for laying the foundations of narratology. His structuralist approach led him to analyse 100 folktales in minute detail to uncover recurring patterns and conventions within their narrative structures. Propp published his findings in his text The Morphology of the Folktale (1928), where he identified 7 character archetypes and outlined their specific functions within narratives.
The Hero
The Villain
The Dispatcher
The Helper
The Princess
The Donor
The False Hero
Analysing Game Character Design Through Propp's Theory
I strongly believe that games offer stories in an immersive, emotional way that other mediums just can’t replicate. When the quest and character design compliment each other the bonds that players form while interacting with characters is truly meaningful. In my opinion, The Witcher franchise hits the mark every time when designing characters. Building upon Andrzej Sapkowski's incredible source material, CD Projekt Red have crafted complex, memorable characters that incite emotions from players. My question is: do the main characters from the Witcher series adhere to Propp's vision of a 'good story'? Focusing on characters and their portrayal in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, I'll explore each of Propp's 7 character archetypes and see if I can assign a character from the game. Propp's ideas are more aligned with the function of characters rather than their individual characteristics, so rather than explore character traits, I'll be exploring their actions.
The Hero: Geralt of Rivia
The famed White Wolf is the beating (albeit irregular) heart at the centre of The Witcher's universe. His devotion to finding and protecting his child of surprise, Ciri, runs throughout the game and is obviously an honourable quest. However, Geralt's actions during the game are not always honourable, regardless of playstyle. Choosing the lesser evil is a notion that runs heavily throughout the novels. Geralt's neutrality often infuriates other characters and sometimes allows unjust events to happen.
"Evil is Evil. Lesser, greater, middling… Makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary. The definition’s blurred. If I’m to choose between one evil and another… I’d rather not choose at all." Andrzej Sapowski, The Last Wish (1993)
So what makes Geralt, a morally ambiguous mutant, such a well-loved hero? Is it his reluctant heroism, the prejudice he encounters, or his mastery of his craft? According to Propp's theory, Geralt is a great example of a hero, and this could be a reason why his character resonates so well. To very briefly summarise, the function of a hero according to Propp is:
They embark on a journey (literal or metaphorical),
Face trials and adversaries,
Receive help from allies,
Experience growth, and
Bring resolution to their world.
Geralt embarks on a journey to pursue the Wild Hunt in order to protect Ciri, driven by his paternal relationship with her. His actions demonstrate his devotion, as he faces numerous dangerous enemies, risking his life for her safety, aided by his equally complex, well-loved friends. At each crossroad in the quest, Geralt grows and gains experience, creating a symbiotic bond with the player. His victory against the Wild Hunt saves The Continent from annihilation, unbeknownst to most of its inhabitants in true humble Geralt style.
As you can see, Geralt's actions align with Propp's ideals of how a hero should drive forward a narrative, showing that according to Propp, Geralt is a fantastic example of a heroic protagonist.
Image credit: CD Projekt Red The Villain: Eredin
The brutal leader of the Wild Hunt, Eredin, leaves a murderous path littered with destruction in his wake as he pursues Ciri and her Elder Blood. He desires Ciri's powers so the Hunt can travel between worlds and settle somewhere where they can harbour and unleash a powerful onslaught upon all worlds.
Propp believed that the purpose of the villain is to act as the narrative driver; the true force that propels and encourages the hero forward in their quest. There are many ways in which an antagonist can do this. Here is a brief list based on Propp's theory:
Villainous act of harm, theft or evil,
Direct conflict with the hero,
Deception and manipulation,
Provocation,
Pursuit,
Hindrance and
Doubling
Eredin's threat to kidnap Ciri is what drives Geralt. He knows that if Ciri is captured by the Wild Hunt, her fate will be death, or worse, to become a puppet of the Wild Hunt. They pursue Ciri relentlessly, along with Geralt, leading the Wild Hunt to hinder Geralt at any opportunity through conflict. As the quest continues, Eredin and his generals are forced to confront Geralt, who has become a bane to their attempt to kidnap Ciri. With each victory for Geralt, the plot moves forward, closer to finally locating Ciri.
Based on Propp's theory, Eredin fits the functions of a good villain well. He acts as a narrative catalyst whose foul intentions not only threaten Geralt and those that he loves, but the fate of all worlds. This solidifies the importance of Geralt's quest and gives the player very tangible and obvious reasons for wanting to vanquish Eredin and his ruthless Wild Hunt.
Image credit: CD Projekt Red The Dispatcher: Emhyr var Emreis
After meeting Yennefer in White Orchard, Geralt travels to Vizima to meet with the emperor of Nilfgaard, Emhyr var Emreis. The player learns that Emhyr has a task for Geralt: to find his daughter Ciri and return her to him. Emhyr states that Ciri has been present in the area and is being pursued by the Wild Hunt, so he calls upon the one person who has any chance of success against such a formidable foe: Geralt of Rivia.
In this action, Emhyr var Emreis initiates Geralt's quest and helps Geralt understand the weight of the danger that Ciri is in. And with that, Emhyr's role as the dispatcher is over. Generally, Propp's dispatchers have small, yet crucial roles to play, but are always on the horizon of the hero's conscience. As Geralt works towards locating Ciri, the player is brought closer to a decision that needs to be made: to deliver Ciri to her biological father and 'rightful' home at court, or allow her her own freedom to choose her own path?
The Helper: LOTS!
During the main quest to find Ciri, Geralt has many helpers who guide him. Their purpose is to help push the narrative forward and to keep hope alive that Geralt will eventually find Ciri.
Long-time love interest Yennefer guides Geralt to Vizima and helps him explore Skellige. She uses her magic to investigate the movements of the Wild Hunt, desperate to find and protect Ciri too. Her magical abilities compliment Geralt's brawn as they work towards finding their 'daughter'.
Triss Merigold is another mage and love interest who uses her magic to aid Geralt. Triss helps Geralt navigate Novigrad along with its messy politics and prejudice against non-humans. Even though Triss is sometimes disappointed by the imbalance in her relationship with Geralt, aiding Ciri's safety is Triss' ultimate purpose.
Vesemir is another integral helper. A paternal figure to Geralt, Vesemir guides Geralt with wisdom and guidance throughout various points in the game. During the early stages of the game, Vesemir also acts as a helper to the player, teaching gameplay mechanics and the combat system during the first-time user experience sequence at Kaer Morhen.
Geralt’s journey to find Ciri is a collaborative effort, relying on relationships with his friends and allies, and even reluctant informants. Each character contributes uniquely, whether by offering information, magical aid, or direct assistance in battle. This keeps gameplay and the narrative varied, adding layers of lore and character to the game's universe.
Image credit: CD Projekt Red https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgqz8Je7P0s&ab_channel=TheWitcher The Princess: Ciri
Propp's ideas consider that a princess archetype is a character who is sought after, and their safety is the main goal of the hero. Throughout literature, there are many princesses who have been locked away in towers, passively waiting to be saved, to be claimed by the hero. However, contemporary narratives have seen a welcome break from this tired trope.
As Geralt advances in his quest to find Ciri, players learn of the challenges that she has faced in order to survive the Wild Hunt's onslaughts. She is an independent, fearsome warrior using all of her cunning and magical abilities to stay one step ahead of her pursuers.
Although Ciri is Geralt's goal, at no point does his quest seem condescending; it is purely out of love that he is desperately chasing her, yearning to see Ciri safe once again.
Image credit: CD Projekt Red The Donor: Avallac'h
Avallac'h, a highly powerful Aen Saevherne elf whose kin is the Wild Hunt, gives Geralt the most important thing needed to defeat the Wild Hunt: knowledge. The Wild Hunt has long been a menacing enigma with concrete knowledge about them and their motives left scattered. Avallac'h bridges this gap between worlds and gives Geralt insight into the nefarious machinations they have planned for Ciri. Due to his previous closeness with Eredin, Avallac'h was able to find a place where Eredin could not follow Ciri easily and hid her there. This last clue finally allows Geralt to locate Ciri, who is hidden away on the Isle of Mists.
Without Avallac'h's knowledge Geralt's quest would have become hopeless, halting the narrative. Although Avallac'h's contribution isn't a tangible artifact like a sword or spell commonly observed in Propp's analysis, the gift of knowledge proves to be an equally powerful boon, guiding Geralt to Ciri's location and providing crucial insights into defeating Eredin's dreaded Wild Hunt.
Image credit: CD Projekt Red The False Hero: ?
When considering who the false hero could be, I drew a blank. There isn't a character who tries to pass off Geralt's noble deeds as their own. However, there is one character that, although he doesn't fit the typical false hero archetype, does pretend to be an ally to Geralt at times but ultimately works for his own political gain, often in direct opposition to Geralt's goals or hindering Geralt's ability to gain information about Ciri. This character is Sigismund Dijkstra, a master manipulator and a shrewd political player who doesn't like to follow the rules and will protect himself and his power at all costs.
During the 'Reason of State' questline, Dijkstra allies with Geralt and the conspirators (Vernon Roche, Ves and Thaler) in their assassination plan; however, as the quest continues, it's clear that Dijkstra isn't interested in the good of Redania. His desire is to take Redania and rule it for himself. The player is offered a choice near the end of the quest and is forced to decide Dijkstra and Redania's fate.
Most interactions with Dijkstra show his manipulative and cunning tactics. He sees Geralt as a tool to gain power over the North. He often reminds Geralt of debts, favors, and past alliances, ensuring Geralt stays useful but never in control.
While Dijkstra doesn't quite fit within the traditional boundaries of a false hero, he does hinder Geralt's quest, attempts to manipulate Geralt and use him for his own self-serving ends, while attempting to fain a alliance with Geralt.
Image credit: CD Projekt Red As we can see, characters in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt do generally adhere to Propp's character archetypes. However, the characters transcend the limitations of each archetype due to their complexity and depth. Geralt is not a traditional hero, and Ciri is far from a typical, folklore princess, and Geralt's helpers bring with them their own goals and desires. The characters within The Witcher push the boundaries of each archetype and generally fit the broad roles outlined by Propp, but they are too nuanced and dynamic to place in a neat box.
A Useful Theory for Narrative Design?
When applied to narrative design, Propp's theory can be useful for understanding how the characters and events in a story contribute to the unfolding plot. However, when regarding games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the theory doesn't allow for player agency, branching storylines, or the morally grey actions of key characters. While Propp's archetypes provide a useful framework for understanding how characters interact and how their actions support the narrative structure, they don’t allow narrative designers to fully capture the complexity that a character could bring to the story.
The archetypes, I believe, are best used in narrative design as a starting point and a springboard for subversion. I like taking an archetype and seeing how far I can push the boundaries. For example, when creating a hero character, what would happen in the narrative if they killed their helper? This conjures a plethora of subsequent questions. Were they forced to kill their helper, did their helper betray them, or does the helper's death help the hero fulfil the quest? These questions allow me to consider more original character design and storylines that subvert the traditional hero's quest.
My best advice for creating characters is "always ask questions; keep conventions close and subversions even closer." By switching up character motives and actions, players are given more engaging, complex stories to explore, which is what every narrative designer strives to achieve!
Cover image: BETAFIX https://www.steamgriddb.com/profile/76561198038132921
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