- "Elements of the supernatural and the fantastic were an element of literature from its beginning."
Overview of the development of the fantasy genre, from epic poetry to modern novels.
Mythology: The study of traditional stories, beliefs, and legends surrounding supernatural beings and phenomena.
Folklore: A collection of stories handed down from generation to generation, often featuring magical or supernatural elements.
Fairy Tales: A genre of folklore featuring magical creatures and events, often with moral lessons or warnings for its readers.
Epic poetry: A long narrative poem that often revolves around heroic deeds, supernatural events, and divine intervention.
Gothic literature: A genre of literature that combines elements of horror, romance, and supernatural events.
Arthurian legend: A collection of stories and tales surrounding King Arthur, his knights, and the magical world of Camelot.
Supernatural literary devices: Including ghosts, spirits, vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures that are commonly found in fantasy literature.
The origins of fantasy literature: The historical and cultural influences that led to the development of modern fantasy literature.
Science fiction literature: A genre of literature that explores the intersection between technology, society and the future.
Mythical creatures and characters: A range of mythical creatures and characters that are commonly found in fantasy literature, including dragons, wizards, elves, centaurs and other magical beings.
Medieval history: Understanding the historical context and cultural influences that shaped the development of fantasy literature.
J.R.R. Tolkien and his influences: The literary works and historic events that led to the creation of The Lord of the Rings and other works by J.R.R. Tolkien.
C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia: The literary works that popularized Fantasy literature for children.
Historical and cultural influences in fantasy literature: Understanding the major world events and cultural trends that influenced the development and popularity of fantasy literature.
The role of fantasy literature in popular culture: Examining the influence of fantasy literature on popular culture and analyzing its role in shaping social norms and values.
Feminism in fantasy literature: Analyzing the representation of women in fantasy literature and exploring how this genre subverts or reinforces traditional gender stereotypes.
Post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction: Understanding the genre of post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, which portrays a dark future world after a major crisis or societal breakdown (such as The Hunger Games, Maze Runner or The Road).
Speculative fiction: A sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy literature that explores alternate realities, parallel universes, and other speculative concepts.
Young adult fantasy literature: Understanding the literary works that cater to a younger audience and the themes addressed in them.
High Fantasy: This type of fantasy is set in a completely alternate world where the laws of physics, magic, and nature are different from the world we know.
Low Fantasy: Low fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy that is set in a fictional world, but the emphasis is on elements of magic that occasionally occur in the real world.
Epic Fantasy: Epic fantasy is a sprawling sub-genre that involves an extensive cast of characters, numerous plotlines, and richly detailed settings.
Sword and Sorcery: Sword and sorcery is primarily focused on physical battles, conflicts, and quests. It typically involves a hero who is a skilled warrior and wields a magical weapon.
Urban Fantasy: Urban fantasy is a sub-genre that combines the supernatural and magical elements with the real world, typically in a contemporary urban setting.
Dark Fantasy: Dark fantasy is characterized by dark, horror-like elements, which can include grotesque or violent imagery, extreme moral ambiguity, and themes of survival.
Science Fiction: Science fiction is a genre that focuses on futuristic or imagined technologies, scientific principles, and their potential effects on society.
Steampunk: Steampunk is a sub-genre of fantasy that is set in a Victorian-inspired alternate universe where steam-powered technology is dominant.
Horror: Horror is a genre that relies on fear, disgust, and shock to evoke emotional responses from readers. It often involves supernatural elements, like ghosts, vampires, or other monsters.
Historical Fantasy: Historical fantasy is a genre that combines elements of fantasy with a historical setting. It often involves historical figures or events with magical or supernatural elements.
Alternate History: Alternate history is a genre that explores what would have happened if significant events in history had turned out differently, resulting in an alternate universe.
Space Opera: Space opera is a sub-genre of science fiction that emphasizes action, adventure, and epic battles in a futuristic interplanetary setting.
Mythic Fiction: Mythic fiction involves the use of traditional mythological or folkloric elements to create a compelling narrative.
Superhero Fiction: Superhero fiction involves the use of characters with extraordinary abilities, typically used to fight crime or evil.
Time Travel: Time travel is a sub-genre of science fiction that allows characters to travel through time, exploring alternate timelines and historical events.
Comic Fantasy: Comic fantasy is a genre that combines humorous elements with traditional fantasy motifs, creating a lighthearted and amusing narrative.
Weird Fiction: Weird fiction is a sub-genre that explores the realm of the unknown, mysterious, and uncanny, often involving themes of horror, fantasy, and science fiction.
Cyberpunk: Cyberpunk is a sub-genre of science fiction that focuses on a dystopian future where advanced technology has led to social breakdown and the rise of corporate power.
- "The modern genre is distinguished from tales and folklore which contain fantastic elements, first by the acknowledged fictitious nature of the work, and second by the naming of an author."
- "Works in which the marvels were not necessarily believed, or only half-believed, such as the European romances of chivalry and the tales of the Arabian Nights, slowly evolved into works with such traits."
- "Authors like George MacDonald (1824–1905) created the first explicitly fantastic works."
- "The publication of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien enormously influenced fantasy writing..."
- "The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien enormously influenced fantasy writing, establishing the form of epic fantasy."
- "This also did much to establish the genre of fantasy as commercially distinct and viable."
- "Today fantasy continues as an expansive, multi-layered milieu encompassing many subgenres..."
- "Traditional high fantasy, sword and sorcery, magical realism, fairytale fantasy, and horror-tinged dark fantasy."
- "George MacDonald (1824–1905) created the first explicitly fantastic works."
- "The modern genre is distinguished from tales and folklore which contain fantastic elements, first by the acknowledged fictitious nature of the work..."
- "This also did much to establish the genre of fantasy as commercially distinct and viable."
- "Traditional high fantasy"
- "J. R. R. Tolkien"
- "Authors like George MacDonald (1824–1905) created the first explicitly fantastic works."
- "European romances of chivalry and the tales of the Arabian Nights"
- "Today fantasy continues as an expansive, multi-layered milieu encompassing many subgenres..."
- "The publication of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien enormously influenced fantasy writing..."
- "The modern genre is distinguished from tales and folklore which contain fantastic elements, first by the acknowledged fictitious nature of the work, and second by the naming of an author."
- "The publication of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien enormously influenced fantasy writing, establishing the form of epic fantasy."