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Titel
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Fantasy
The first works of classical fantasy were published in the wake of WWII, but the genre did not become popular with the masses or arise to critical acclaim until the 1980s. Until then, science fiction had long been one of the most favoured literary genres with the general public, but gradual disillusionment with the world created by technological and scientific 'progress' opened up a space for Fantasy: Whereas sci-fi is preoccupied with technological and science, fantasy is generally characterised by a fascination with and nostalgia for the pre-industrial past. Fantasy borrows heavily from the genres of folk- and fairytale, and works within the genre tend to rely on inspiration from the Middle-Ages.
During this course, students read works of classical and contemporary fantasy, exploring how the genre has developed since its early beginnings until today. They learn about the two sub-genres, high and low fantasy, and about their typical genre traits. The students can identify genre traits to do with setting, characters, plot, symbolism, theme and message. They can also distinguish dark fantasy from more traditional forms. Students have focused primarily on setting analysis and characterisation. Students have completed a creative writing task where they invented their own fantasy world.
CURRICULUM:
- Lewis, C.S.: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (1950), excerpts from the novel
- Tolkien, J.R.R: "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (1939), excerpts from the novel
- Martin, George R.R.: "A Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones" (1996), excerpts from the novel
- Benioff, David; Weiss, D.B.: "A Game of Thrones" (2011-2019), pilot episode
- Thorne, Jack: "His Dark Materials" (2019-2022), pilot episode of the HBO series
- Reed, David: "What Is Dark Fantasy?" (2021), blog post
- Moulding Minds: "What Is Fantasy?" (2016), video
- Grossman, Lev: "Feeding on Fantasy" (2002), article
- Falcon, Hermes; Covington, Kendall: "Young Readers Struggling with ‘Reality Overload’ Drive Surging Sales of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books" (2023), article
- Funke, Cornelia: "Through Fantasy Children Face Their Fears" (2016), article
KEY TERMS:
nostalgia, the past in the present, fairy tale, high fantasy, low fantasy, dark fantasy, secondary world, parallel world, co-existing world, the child-like hero(ine), the wise sage, the appearance as a mirror to the inner world of characters the antagonist, good vs. evil, symbols, the quest, prophesy, escapism, self-transformation.
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