Fantasy: Difference between revisions

It was during the 18th Century that contemporary fantasy first appeared in fictional traveler’s tales. In the late 19th Century, it gained popularity as its own distinct genre.<ref name="History 2005">"History of Fantasy." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Aug. 2005. Web. 2 July 2015.<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_fantasy>.</ref> For example, it was in 1977 when Brooks’ ''The Sword of Shannara'' made the bestseller list;<ref name="Fantasy 100 2015"/> a story of evil warlocks, other worlds, and a powerful sword.<ref>Brooks, Terry. The Sword of Shannara. New York: Ballantine, 1977. Print.</ref> The popularity of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ''The Hobbit'' and ''Lord of the Rings'' were also part of the movement into mainstream culture.<ref name="History 2005"/>

'''Portal'''

Portal Fantasy begins with a magical doorway connecting two worlds separated by space and time. The hero either passes through it willingly or is summoned to the other world. The hero usually spends the whole story trying to get home.<ref>http://bestfantasybooks.com/fantasy-genre.php#portal-fantasy</ref> This isn't always the case. In the Harry Potter series, the main characters would prefer to be in the magical world versus the [[Muggle]] world. In portal fantasy, not only can you travel to different places you can travel to different times. In [[Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children]] by Ranson Riggs, one of the main characters uses time travel to go back to 1940. Portal fantasies are often about ensuring that the worlds stay divided. [http://bestfantasybooks.com/portal-fantasy.html] In the Harry Potter series, the magical folk make it a priority that the Muggles have no idea that their world exists. Ultimately, aside from moving from the real world into another more magical world, portal fantasy is a versatile and open-ended sub-genre where anything is possible. <ref>http://bestfantasybooks.com/portal-fantasy.html</ref>

'''Secondary World'''

   

Secondary World fiction is different fictional scenarios. These scenarios mirror the author's thoughts rather than what actually happens in the world.<ref>Walter, Damien G. "Secondary World Problems." SECONDARY WORLD PROBLEMS. N.p., 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 02 July 2015. <http://damiengwalter.com/2012/04/15/secondary-world-problems/></ref>  In the author's fictional world things get very intense, by having several dimensions, locations, characters, languages, and timeline all being inter-dependent. The author attempts to make the reader feel as if they are in this secondary world. It seems unreal, but it explores and unveils the rules and nature of that world. Dark, Low, Heroic, and High fantasies are different types of fantasy literature that use secondary world with in the narratives.

'''High Fantasy'''

High Fantasies include characters such as dragons, elves, wizards and dwarfs that can be found in a secondary wold. Many times the plots are serious with the main hero fighting evil forces. Contemporary high fantasies either exclude the primary world, parallel the primary world with the secondary world, or have the hero enter the secondary world from the primary world through a portal.<ref>"High Fantasy." <i>Wikipedia</i>. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 02 July 2015. &lt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fantasy&gt;.</ref> "The Lord of the Rings" is a high fantasy novel.<ref>"The Lord of the Rings." <i>Wikipedia</i>. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 02 July 2015. &lt;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings&gt;.</ref> The ring symbolizes power and evil(only if held by the wrong forces); it was created by the The Dark Lord Sauron to rule over middle-earth.<ref>"Sauron." <i>The One Wiki to Rule Them All</i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 July 2015. &lt;http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Sauron&gt;.</ref> It is more powerful than other power rings within the secondary world. The "Eye or Sauron" is a representation of darkness. The "Eye" is used to protect Mordor and give Lord Sauron the ability to see all.

'''Heroic Fantasy'''

==Fantasy in Media==