What is the Difference Between Fabula and Syuzhet

Fabula and syuzhet are two terms that help us understand how stories are structured and told. Although they sound complex, they are simple ideas. They are of Russian origin. Moreover, these terms were coined by Vladimir Propp and Viktor Shklovsky as a part of the Russian Formalism movement in the early 20th century.

What is the difference between fabula and syuzhet? Fabula refers to the chronological order of events in a story or the raw material of the plot. Syuzhet, on the other hand, is how those events are presented to the audience.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Fabula  
     – Definition, Features, Examples
2. What is Syuzhet
     – Definition, Features, Examples
3. Relationship Between Fabula and Syuzhet
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Fabula and Syuzhet
     – Comparison of Key Differences
5. FAQ: Fabula and Syuzhet
     – Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Key Terms

Fabula, Syuzhet

What is Fabula

Fabula is the basic story or the order of events as they happen in time. It’s like a list of everything that happens in a story, in the order it happens, without worrying about how it’s shown or told.

For example, in a movie, if someone wakes up, goes to work, and has lunch, that’s the fabula. But the movie might not show these events in order. It could start with the lunch scene and then go back to when they woke up.

What is Syuzhet

Syuzhet is the way a story is organized and presented to the reader or viewer. In fact, it’s how the events are arranged, which might not be in the same order as they actually happened. This generally includes techniques like flashbacks, flash-forwards, time jumps, multiple perspectives, and parallel storylines.

For example, a movie might start with the ending and then show flashbacks to explain how the characters got there. This is the syuzhet—the structure that arranges the fabula (the actual events) in a way that makes sense for the story being told.

Relationship Between Fabula and Syuzhet

In classical narratives, the fabula and syuzhet usually match up. This means the events in the story happen in the same order that we see them. However, in modern or postmodern stories, the fabula and syuzhet can be asynchronous. This means the order of events in the story is different from how they are presented to us.

For example, in the film Citizen Kane, the fabula is the story of the main character’s life, told in chronological order—from his birth to his death. But the syuzhet, or how the story is told, is different. The film starts with Kane’s death, then uses flashbacks and a journalist’s investigation into Kane’s life to reveal the story out of order.

Difference Between Fabula and Syuzhet

Definition

• Fabula is the raw sequence of events in a story, while syuzhet is how the story is told or presented to the audience.

Function

• Fabula describes what happens in chronological order, while syuzhet describes how the events are arranged, which may not follow chronological order.

Example

• In a story, the fabula would show events like a character’s birth, growing up, falling in love, and eventually dying, all in that order. When using syuzhet, the story might start with the character’s retirement, then jump back in time to show key moments from their career, like getting promoted or struggling with challenges.

FAQ: Fabula and Syuzhet

1. What is an example of a fabula?

An example of fabula in literature is Cinderella. The fabula follows a simple timeline: Cinderella, mistreated by her stepmother, goes to the ball with her fairy godmother’s help, meets the prince, loses her glass slipper at midnight, and is later found by the prince.

2. What is the difference between a story and a fabula?

The fabula is the raw, chronological sequence of events in a narrative. However, a story is the complete telling of those events, including how they are organized or presented to the audience.

3. What is an example of fabula and syuzhet in literature?

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the fabula is the basic order of events. For example, Nick Carraway moves to Long Island, meets Gatsby, learns about his past, sees Gatsby’s love for Daisy, and the tragic events leading to Gatsby’s death. The syuzhet, however, is how the story is told. For example, the book is narrated by Nick, jumping between past and present through flashbacks and memories.

Reference:

1. “Fabula and syuzhet.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Memento_Timeline” By Dr Steve Aprahamian – Picture of a chart created in Microsoft Excel (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia