How long has fantasy literature been around?
The modern fantasy genre first took root during the 18th century with the increased popularity of fictional travelers’ tales, influencing and being influenced by other early forms of speculative fiction along the way, finally unfurling in the 19th century from a literary tapestry of fantastic stories and gaining …
When was the first fantasy story written?
Scottish author George MacDonald, whose novel Phantastes (1858) features a young man drawn into a dream world where he has a series of adventures, is credited with writing the first plainly fictitious fantasy for adults.
What was the first fantasy story?
Although pre-dated by John Ruskin’s The King of the Golden River (1841), the history of modern fantasy literature is usually said to begin with George MacDonald, the Scottish author of such novels as The Princess and the Goblin and Phantastes (1858), the latter of which is widely considered to be the first fantasy …
Where did fantasy literature come from?
The origins of Fantasy can be traced back to ancient mythology, which, as its basic purpose, explained the workings of nature. For example, there is the story of Prometheus, who felt pity for the mere mortals of earth and so he gifted them with fire.
Did Tolkien invent high fantasy?
Romantic poems from the Middle Ages?). But the overwhelming influence of J.R.R. Tolkien on the genre remains a fundamental certainty. The British author didn’t invent fantasy, but he defined it in the minds of millions with his seminal works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Can fantasy be historical fiction?
Historical fantasy is a category of fantasy and genre of historical fiction that incorporates fantastic elements (such as magic) into a more “realistic” narrative. Stories fitting this classification generally take place prior to the 20th century.
Is LOTR fantasy or mythology?
The Lord of the Rings is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some distant time in the past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien’s 1937 children’s book The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work.
Did Tolkien invent Hobbits?
Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, and Samwise Gamgee—we all know J.R.R. Tolkien created these beloved hobbits for his Hobbit (1937) and Lord of the Rings (1954–55) books. Hobbits are an imaginary race similar to humans, but they are short and have hairy feet.
Is Harry Potter a historical fantasy?
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Is Harry Potter a urban fantasy?
When the story takes place in a city, the work is often called urban fantasy. Contemporary fantasies are set in the real world but may also include distinct fantasy settings within it, such as the Harry Potter series, in which case they would be high rather than low fantasy.
Which is the first work of fantasy literature?
As far as written literature, The Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer’s The Odyssey are often credited as the first fantasy works. It is interesting, then, that Homer’s other work, The Iliad, is not usually considered to be in the canon, even though the epic war story includes meddling gods, their magic, and superhuman warriors.
What was the first English language fantasy magazine?
An important factor in the development of the fantasy genre was the arrival of magazines devoted to fantasy fiction. The first such publication was the German magazine Der Orchideengarten which ran from 1919-1921. In 1923, the first English-language fantasy fiction magazine, Weird Tales, was created.
How is fantasy literature different from science fiction?
Fantasy literature may be directed at both children and adults. Fantasy is a subgenre of speculative fiction and is distinguished from the genres of science fiction and horror by the absence of scientific or macabre themes, respectively, though these genres overlap. Historically, most works of fantasy were written, however,…
What was the genre of fantasy in the 19th century?
Transitions between the traditional and modern modes of fantastic literature are evident in early Gothic novels, the ghost stories in vogue in the 19th century, and Romantic novels, all of which used extensively traditional fantastic motifs, but subjected them to authors’ concepts.