This theory was developed by Vladmir Propp, based on the work of the Russian Formalists. Propp used Russian Folktales as the basis for his theory but it can be applied to all types of fiction as well as many movies. The basic premise is that there are several basic archtypes that appear in alot of films, and that they all play very similar roles.
These characters are:
* The Hero - who is seeking something
* The Villan - who tries to stop the hero from achieving his goal
* The Helper - Who aids the Hero
* The Donor - who gives the Hero an item of power
* The Princess - This could be a person or thing, which acts as an award for the hero
* The Dispatcher - Who sends the hero on his Journey
* The Father - Who rewards the Hero
Reading Propp's theory, I find it hard to transfer it across to the film "In Bruge". The film is very difficult to identify the characters because it portrays 'bad men' who are assassins as the protagonists.
Also, the 'Hero' in the film is very unclear, because during the end of the film, it seemed like an 'each man for himself' situation. However, it's very clear who the protagonist(s) is and who the antagonist is...
1. Which characters in the film correspond to each archetype? Do any of the characters fulfill more than one role? Are any of the roles fulfilled by more than one character?
The Hero
This archetype is hard to place on one character. We can establish two protagonists: Ray and Ken. But Ken doesn't seem to be 'seeking something'. Whereas Ray is seeking something within himself, perhaps forgiveness or redemption.
But if you observe Ken, especially in the end of the film, he goes to extremes when he tries to prevent Harry from killing Ray, which fits the literal term of Hero.
Though if I had to chose one character, it'd have to be Ray because the movie seems to follow him around as if it's his adventure in Bruges and the difficulties that he is facing.
The movie also promotes the idea that Ray is the Hero. In one scene, Ray speaks to Ken on a bench and says "And that's all because of me, he is dead because of me. And I'm trying to get my head around it but I can't. I would've always killed that little boy." So this tries establish the lost connection between Ray and his own forgiveness and faith. This is especially seen in his facial expressions when Chloe begins to laugh at Ray's date proposal and walks away, as if he's about to cry.
The Villain
It is fairly obvious, I'd have to say Harry. But it then brings up the question, "What is the Hero's goal?"
Well, Harry is trying to get Ray killed because Ray killed a child. Harry is a character with very strong principles that he follows, and it shows at the end of the movie. But Ray doesn't know what his goal is, he doesn't know what he is seeking. So this goes back to the idea that Ray is looking for forgiveness in himself, which we notice happening in the playground where Ken acts as...
The Helper
It's undeniable, Ken is the Helper. Let's see how Ken helps Ray:
-In the playground, Ken stops Ray from shooting himself, only to find out, that he was supposed to shoot Ray. Instictively he doesn't and comforts Ray that it wasn't his fault that he shot a child.
-Ken then sends Ray onto a train to a different country in Europe. Instead of lying to Harry that he had killed Ray, he stands up to him and says that Ray got on a train and that he couldn't kill Ray. This shows that Ken is willing to die for Ray.
-At the bell tower, after Ken has been shot in the leg by Harry, he finds out Ray is still in Bruges. He struggles to stop Harry from killing Ray. In a disadvantaged struggle, Ken gets shot in the neck and is left to bleed to death. Rather than lying down and waiting for the grim reaper to turn up, he climbs up the stairs back to the top of the bell tower where he neatly packs his gun in his coat and jumps off the tower, therefore he reachs Ray quicker than Harry does. Ray finds out that Harry is in Bruge because Ken jumped off the bell tower just to tell Ray so he can live.
I think that covers it.
The Donor
The donor is a hard spot to fill in. The possible characters that can fit in here would be Ken or Chloe.
But Chloe seems to dominate this role more than Ken does. Why? Ken is too much of the helper, but could act as a donor for helping Ray figure himself out as well. But Chloe, she is probably the only reason why Ray will stay in Bruges, and the audience is well aware that he hate Bruges.
"Bruges is a fucking shithole" - Ray
And the description of the donor says that it gives the hero an item of power.
In the scene where Ray is confronted by Chloe's brother Eirik, he finds drugs and of course bullets in Chloe's house along with Eiriks gun. So we can also argue that Eirik can act as the donor.
But according to the example given at http://everything2.com/title/Propp%2527s+theory+of+narrative the donor should be 'helping' the hero, which Eirik does not do when he tells Harry that Ray is in Bruges.
The Princess
"A person or thing, which acts as an award for the hero."
As it is explained above, there are only two things that can act as the princess:
Chloe & Forgiveness
Chloe and Ray have a sexual interest in each other, as shown in the scene when Chloe's brother tries to rob Ray. But by the end of the film, there is no further detail that Ray gets his reward.
However, at the park scene, Ray didn't shoot himself, thanks to Ken, and later says "I don't want to die". If he hadn't forgiven himself, Ray would have let Harry kill him, so... wouldn't that show forgiveness?
The Dispatcher
Harry, right?
After all, he does send Ken and Ray to Bruges.
But that's too literal. I believe that it's Ray.
Ray chose his job as an assassin.
He then confronts Harry.
Also, he is easily provoked when nothing has happened. Take a look at the scene with the overweight American tourists and the dining scene with the Canadian. After all, it did lead him back to Bruges because he Ray punched the Canadian.
The Father
The person who awards the hero.
Well, it really depends on who the princess is. If it were Chloe, then Chloe would be the father too. But I believe that forgiveness was the real princess, so then the father could really be Ray, Ken, Harry or even the child.
Looking at Propp's theory, I do believe it works. But there are some loopholes. It definitely can't be used in certain films and especially genres such as comedy and romance, but it can definitely reflect on action films. Especially the sterotypical action film.
It's very easy to notice who the hero and the villain is because you can base it on who the protagonist and antagonist is. However, some roles can have more than one person acting as it. Perhaps two helpers, but never two heroes. It would work as the hero and his sidekick.
But I think that Propp's theory can backfire itself if there are a lot of subplots in the movie too, because the donor in the main plot may act as the father in the subplot (or any other combination, that was just an example).
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