Aarne–Thompson classification system

The Aarne–Thompson tale type index is a multivolume listing designed to help folklorists identify recurring plot patterns in the narrative structures of traditional folktales, so that folklorists can organize, classify, and analyze the folktales they research. First developed by Antti Aarne (1867–1925) and published as Verzeichnis der Märchentypen in 1910, the tale type index was later translated, revised, and enlarged by Stith Thompson (1885–1976) in 1928 and again in 1961.[1]

The Aarne–Thompson tale type index is an essential tool for folklorists because, as Alan Dundes explains, “the identification of folk narratives through motif and/or tale type numbers has become an international sine qua non among bona fide folklorists”.[1] Since the tale type index concerns the motif structures of folktales, it focuses more on the morphology of folktales than on the details of their characters' actions.

The Aarne–Thompson tale type index organizes folktales into broad categories like Animal Tales, Fairy Tales, Religious Tales, etc. Within each category, folktale types are further subdivided by motif patterns until individual types are listed.

The tale-type index is not to be confused with the motifs which are the building of these tales. Aarne and Thompson indexed folktale motifs separately in their Motif-Index of Folk-Literature.[2]

Use in folkloristics

In the essay, “The Motif-Index and the Tale Type Index; A Critique,” Alan Dundes explains that the Aarne–Thompson tale type index is one of the “most valuable tools in the professional folklorist's arsenal of aids for analysis”.[1] Antti Aarne was a student of Julius Krohn and his son Kaarle Krohn. Aarne further developed their historic-geographic method of comparative folkloristics, and developed the initial version of what became the Aarne–Thompson tale type index for classifying folktales, first published in 1910.

The American folklorist Stith Thompson translated Aarne's motif-based classification system in 1928, enlarging its scope. With Thompson's second revisions to Aarne's catalogue in 1961, he created the AT-number system (also referred to as AaTh system), which is often used today.

According to D. L. Ashliman, "The Aarne–Thompson system catalogues some 2500 basic plots from which, for countless generations, European and Near Eastern storytellers have built their tales".[3]

Organizing folktale types

The Aarne–Thompson tale type index divides tales into sections with an "AT" number for each entry. The names given are typical, but usage varies; the same tale type number may be referred to by its central motif or by one of the variant folktales of that type, which can also vary, especially when used in different countries and cultures. The tale type does not have to be accurate for every folktale. For example, The Cat as Helper (545B) also includes tales where a fox helps the hero.

Closely related folktales are often grouped within a type. For example, Tale Types 400-424 all feature Brides/Wives as the primary protagonist. For instance, The Quest for a Lost Bride (400) or the Animal Bride (402). Subtypes within a Tale Type are designated by the addition of a letter to the AT #, for instance: the Persecuted Heroine (510) has subtypes 510A, Cinderella, and 510B, Catskin (see other examples of tale types in the online resource links at the end of this article).

Hans-Jörg Uther

The AT-number system was updated and expanded in 2004 with the publication of The Types of International Folktales: A Classification and Bibliography by Hans-Jörg Uther. Uther noted that many of the earlier descriptions were cursory and that the existing system did not allow for expansion.[4] To remedy these shortcomings Uther developed the Aarne–Thompson–Uther classification (ATU number)[5] system and included international folktales in this expanded listing.

Response

The tale type index was criticized by Vladimir Propp of the Formalist school of the 1920s for ignoring the functions of the motifs by which they are classified. Furthermore, Propp contended that using a "macro-level" analysis means that the stories that share motifs might not be classified together, while stories with wide divergences may be grouped under one tale type because the index must select some features as salient.[6] He also observed that while the distinction between animal tales and tales of the fantastic was basically correct—no one would classify Tsarevitch Ivan, the Fire Bird and the Gray Wolf an animal tale because of the wolf—it did raise questions because animal tales often contained fantastic elements, and tales of the fantastic often contained animals; indeed a tale could shift categories if a peasant deceived a bear rather than a devil.[7]

In describing the motivation for his work,[4] Uther presents several criticisms of the original index. He points out that Thompson's focus on oral tradition sometimes neglects older versions of stories, even when written records exist, that the distribution of stories is uneven (with Eastern and Southern European as well as many other regions' folktale types being under-represented), and that some included folktale types have dubious importance.

Similarly, Thompson noted that it might well be called The Types of the Folk-Tales of Europe, West Asia, and the Lands Settled by these Peoples.[4] However, Alan Dundes notes that in spite of the flaws of tale type indexes (e.g., typos, redundancies, censorship, etc.),[1](p. 198) "they represent the keystones for the comparative method in folkloristics, a method which despite postmodern naysayers and other prophets of gloom continues to be the hallmark of international folkloristics".[1](p. 200)

The ATU taxonomy

Animal tales

Wild animals 1–99

The clever fox or other animal 1–69
Other wild animals 70–99

Wild animals and domestic animals 100–149

Wild animals and humans 150–199

Domestic animals 200–219

Other animals and objects 220–299

Fairy tales

Supernatural opponents 300–399

or, The Girl as a Helper in the Hero's Flight 313[lower-alpha 1][8])

Supernatural or enchanted relatives 400–459

Wife 400–424
Husband 425–449
Brother or sister 450–459

Supernatural tasks 460–499

Supernatural helpers 500–559

Magic items 560–649

Supernatural power or knowledge 650–699

Other stories of the supernatural 700–749

Religious tales

God rewards and punishes 750–779

The truth comes to light 780–791

Heaven 800–809

The Devil 810–826

Other religious tales 827–849

Realistic tales, or novelles

The man marries the princess 850–869

The woman marries the prince 870–879

Proofs of fidelity and innocence 880–899

The obstinate wife learns to obey 900–909

Good Precepts 910–919

Clever acts and words 920–929

Tales of fate 930–949

Robbers and murderers 950–969

Other realistic tales 970–999

Tales of the stupid ogre, giant, or Devil

Labor contract 1000–1029

Partnership between man and ogre 1030–1059

Contest between man and ogre 1060–1114

Man kills (injures) ogre 1115–1144

Ogre frightened by man 1145–1154

Man outwits the Devil 1155–1169

Souls saved from the Devil 1170–1199

Anecdotes and jokes

Stories about a fool 1200–1349

Stories about married couples 1350–1439

The foolish wife and her husband 1380–1404
The foolish husband and his wife 1405–1429
The foolish couple 1430–1439

Stories about a woman 1440–1524

Looking for a wife 1450–1474
Jokes about old maids 1475–1499
Other stories about women 1500–1524

Stories about a man 1525–1724

The clever man 1525–1639
Lucky accidents 1640–1674
The stupid man 1675–1724

Jokes about clergymen and religious figures 1725–1849

The clergyman is tricked 1725–1774
Clergyman and sexton 1775–1799
Other jokes about religious figures 1800–1849

Tall tales 1875–1999

Formula tales

Cumulative tales 2000–2100

Chains based on numbers, objects, animals, or names 2000–2020
Chains involving death 2021–2024
Chains involving eating 2025–2028
Chains involving other events 2029–2075

Catch tales 2200–2299

Other formula tales 2300–2399

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "The Girl as a Helper in the Hero's Flight" contains the episodes: I. Hero Comes into Ogre's Power; II. The Ogre's Tasks; III. The Flight; IV.The Forgotten Fiancée; V. Waking from Magic Forgetfulness; VI. The Old Bride Chosen. The tasks usually occur in threes.

Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Dundes, Alan (1997) “The Motif-Index and the Tale Type Index: A Critique.” Journal of Folklore Research Vol.34 Nº3, pp 195–202.
  2. ↑ Arne, Antti, Motif-Index of Folk-Literature: A Classification of Narrative Elements in Folktales, Ballads, Myths, Fables, Mediaeval Romances, Exempla, Fabliaux, Jest-Books and Local Legends, rev. edn by Stith Thompson (Copenhagen: Rosenkilde and Bagger, 1955-58).
  3. ↑ Ashliman, D. L. 1987. A Guide to Folktales in the English Language: Based on the Aarne–Thompson Classification System. New York, Greenwood Press.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Uther, Hans-Jörg. "Classifying folktales: The Third Revision of the Aarne–Thompson Tale Type Index (FFC 184)". folklorefellow.fi.
  5. ↑ p. xxi, The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales, Donald Haase, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008, ISBN 0-313-33441-2.
  6. ↑ Propp, Vladimir. Similarly, Alan Dundes points out that "Aarne’s mistake was not classifying tales on the basis of narrative plot rather than . . . [on characters because] the same tale can be told with either animal or human characters" (197). "Introduction." Theory and History of Folklore. Ed. Anatoly Liberman. University of Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 1984. pg ix
  7. ↑ Vladimir Propp, Morphology of the Folktale, p5–6, ISBN 0-292-78376-0
  8. ↑ Puchne, Walter (2009). Studien zur Volkskunde Südosteuropas und des mediterranen Raums. Wien: Böhlau Verlag. pp. 482–.

References

  • Antti Aarne. 1961. The Types of the Folktale: A Classification and Bibliography, The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, Helsinki. ISBN 951-41-0132-4
  • Ashliman, D. L. 1987. A Guide to Folktales in the English Language: Based on the Aarne–Thompson Classification System. New York, Greenwood Press.
  • Dundes, Alan. 1997. “The Motif-Index and the Tale Type Index: A Critique.” Journal of Folklore Research 34(3): 195–202.
  • Thompson, Stith. 1977. The Folktale. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Uther, Hans-Jörg. 2004. The Types of International Folktales: A Classification and Bibliography. Based on the system of Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson. FF Communications no. 284–286. Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia. Three volumes. ISBN 951-41-0955-4 (vol. 1), ISBN 951-41-0961-9 (vol. 2), ISBN 951-41-0963-5 (vol. 3.)
  • AT Types of Folktales. Tormod Kinnes. Copyright 2009. Accessed June 14, 2010.
  • Folktale types PDF (40kb). University of Wisconsin-Madison – Scandinavian Studies. Accessed June 14, 2010.

Online resources and examples of tale types

Additional text resources