Fantasy
Fantasy is a literary genre characterized by imaginative and otherworldly elements, often incorporating magic, mythical creatures, and extraordinary events amid otherwise ordinary settings. The genre has historical roots dating back to ancient literature, with notable examples including "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and "The Thousand and One Nights." These early works feature themes of adventure, morality, and the supernatural, reflecting the cultural values of their time.
During the nineteenth century, fantasy literature gained popularity, coinciding with societal changes and the emergence of children's stories that appealed to adult audiences as well. Classic works from authors such as Lewis Carroll and J.R.R. Tolkien have contributed to the genre's richness, introducing beloved characters and worlds that continue to resonate with readers today. Various subgenres have emerged within fantasy, such as epic fantasy, urban fantasy, and science fantasy, each blending elements of magic, adventure, and sometimes horror.
While fantasy faced skepticism for many years, its acceptance has grown significantly, particularly following the success of adaptations in film and increasing scholarly interest. Today, fantasy remains a vibrant genre, captivating audiences with its potential for exploration and escapism.
Fantasy
Fantasy fiction as a genre can be difficult to define. It generally includes imaginative elements set against a backdrop of otherwise ordinary events. It may also include magic, monsters, science, romance, and elements of other genres. Battles may be fought using wands, swords, dragons, or lasers.
The genre became increasingly popular during the nineteenth century, when society was experiencing rapid changes in class, economy, and education. Social reformers during this period even adapted fairy tales to convey warnings against alcoholism and immoral behavior.
Today, many readers enjoy fantasy fiction. Adults even find children's fantasy stories appealing because many authors include multiple levels of meaning and humor in their works.
History
Much of the oldest recorded literature is fantasy. Many myths and folktales survived and evolved over centuries as part of a culture's oral tradition. The Epic of Gilgamesh features stories about a king, Gilgamesh, who ruled Uruk in what is now Iraq around 2700 B.C.E. These stories circulated throughout the Middle East for centuries before Sin-Leqi-Unninni compiled them and wrote them down on clay tablets. According to the legend, Gilgamesh was one-third human and two-thirds god. In the stories, he and his friend, Enkidu, face gods, demons, and other monstrous foes.
The Thousand and One Nights is a collection of stories translated from Arabic by a French scholar in the eighteenth century. Versions of these stories were circulating as early as the tenth century, and it is impossible to say how old they are. The main story revolves around a king who marries a maiden each day and has her killed the next morning. One clever bride devises a plan to escape this fate. She entertains her husband with a story each night, but is careful to draw it out so the king is in suspense in the morning. He is so curious to hear more that he spares her life so she may continue the stories, which include such creatures as genies, sorcerers, and giants.
The tales of King Arthur also developed through the oral tradition in Europe. Over the centuries, numerous authors translated and reworked the stories about Arthur. The fifth-century tales of the warrior king, his knights, the wizard Merlin, and magical events in and around Camelot are still retold today.
Many stories regarded as children's fantasy fiction arose during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and have endured with readers of all ages. In the eighteenth century, English authors rewrote The Thousand and One Nights to include morality messages for children. The fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm were first published in German in 1812, and the first stories by Hans Christian Andersen appeared during the 1830s. Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865), L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan (1904), and Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows (1908) also inspired many future fantasy authors.
Common Elements and Traits
Fantasy fiction contains some element of the fantastic or unreal. Often, the characters embark on a quest of some kind. Some of the hallmarks of fantasy fiction include dragons, talking animals, vampires, elves, and magical realms. Some subgenres employ time travel, historical settings, elements of science fiction, and horror themes.
Subgenres
Science fantasy may incorporate both magic and science. For example, the Dragonrider series by Anne McCaffrey features dragon steeds, aliens, and genetic manipulation. Steampunk fiction often features mechanical characters and machines powered by magical elements. Works of dark fantasy are sometimes classified as horror fiction. Many vampire tales fall into this subgenre. Epic fantasy includes a number of popular series, including the Narnia books by C. S. Lewis and the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien. Urban fantasy often utilizes an alternate version of a modern city where magic and magical creatures may be unobserved by ordinary citizens. In some works, these fantasy elements exist side by side with humans.
Growing Stature of the Genre
Fantasy's long history in literature proves its enduring attraction. In the twentieth century, the film industry took note, successfully adapting works such as The Wizard of Oz.
Despite its popularity, the fantasy genre was accorded little respect until recently. Readers have devoured an estimated 150 million copies of The Lord of the Rings, yet Tolkien still had to defend the genre to critics.
Later in the twentieth century, this attitude began to shift. Book reviewer Leonard S. Marcus speculates that the horrors of World War II helped spur an interest in and an acceptance of fantasy literature.
Many authors who had been chided for writing fantasy were inspired by Tolkien's work. Since the 1970s, scholarly works have been published in journals with increasing frequency, and more attention has been paid to the fantasy genre in academic studies.
Bibliography
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"The Epic of Gilgamesh: Context." SparkNotes. SparkNotes LLC. Web. 30 Oct. 2014. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gilgamesh/context.html
"The Epic of Gilgamesh: Plot Overview." SparkNotes. SparkNotes LLC. Web. 30 Oct. 2014. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gilgamesh/summary.html
Ferreira, Becky. "The History of Fantasy Literature." SparkNotes. SparkNotes LLC. 3 Jun. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2014. http://www.sparknotes.com/mindhut/2013/06/03/the-history-of-fantasy-literature/slide/4
Grenby, M.O. "Fantasy and Fairytale in Children's Literature." British Library. British Library Board. Web. 29 Oct. 2014. http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/fantasy-and-fairytale-in-childrens-literature
Lane, Edward William, translator. "Introductory Note." Stories from the Thousand and One Nights. Bartleby.com. 2001. Web. 29 Oct. 2014. http://www.bartleby.com/16/1001.html
Marcus, Leonard S., ed. The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2006. 1–3. Print.
"Science Fiction & Fantasy: A Research Guide: Finding Articles." Cornell University Library. Cornell University Library. 29 Oct. 2014. Web. 30 Oct. 2014. http://guides.library.cornell.edu/c.php?g=31642&p=200579
"Your Picks: Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books." NPR. NPR. 11 Aug. 2011. Web. 27 Oct. 2014. http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books