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 ...
What was the first high fantasy novel?
Building upon the legacies of MacDonald and Morris, J. R. R. Tolkien penned the first high fantasy, The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955). Both creatively and commercially successful, the epic ushered the genre into the mainstream and influenced countless writers, making Tolkien the undisputed father of modern fantasy.
Was Lord of the Rings the first fantasy book?
Tolkien had published The Hobbit in 1937 and The Lord of the Rings in the 1950s; while the first was a fairy tale fantasy , the second was an epic fantasy that expanded upon the groundwork of the hobbit. ... By the end of 1968, The Lord of the Rings had sold over 3 million copies in America.
How did the fantasy genre begin?
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.
When was the first fantasy?
The genre started in the Victorian age in England in 1872 . The very first work of fantasy in the modern era is typically attributed to a work called “The Wood beyond the World which was first published in 1894.
Is LOTR high fantasy?
Tolkien—especially The Lord of the Rings—are regarded as archetypal works of high fantasy .
Is Narnia high fantasy?
Lewis’ Narnia, which means that both series are in the high fantasy subgenre . ... Since it often has a real-world setting, there is an overlap with low fantasy.
Who is the father of fantasy?
Three-quarters of a century after his death, Robert E. Howard has finally stepped out of the shadow of his most famous creation, Conan the Cimmerian, and is emerging at his rightful place, that of a founding father of the Fantasy genre, rivaled only by J.R.R. Tolkien in terms of importance and influence.
Why is Lord of the Rings a banned book?
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien was originally banned in various US states because it was considered Satanic , but now that reaction would be rare. However, even today, books continue to be banned or challenged.
Who invented elves?
Reconstructing the early concept of an elf depends largely on texts, written by Christians, in Old and Middle English, medieval German, and Old Norse . These associate elves variously with the gods of Norse mythology, with causing illness, with magic, and with beauty and seduction.
Is Harry Potter a fantasy?
Structure and genre. The Harry Potter novels are mainly directed at a young adult audience as opposed to an audience of middle grade readers, children, or adults. The novels fall into the genre of fantasy literature , and qualify as a type of fantasy called “urban fantasy”, “contemporary fantasy”, or “low fantasy”.
Why is fantasy The best genre?
After going into a world of fantasy, one will feel astonished on how the mind is able to create this magnificent world. It helps show an individual that one is possible to imagine a different and unique world from reality. Fantasy is also a genre of inspiration for artists, filmmakers, authors and etc.
What is grounded fantasy?
Grounded sci-fi” is a catch phrase execs sometimes use —again, meaning science fiction that’s plausible or could seem “real” as opposed to “fantasy.”
What defines fantasy?
1 : the power or process of creating especially unrealistic or improbable mental images in response to psychological need an object of fantasy also : a mental image or a series of mental images (such as a daydream) so created sexual fantasies.
What defines dark fantasy?
Dark fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy literary, artistic, and cinematic works that incorporate disturbing and frightening themes of fantasy . It often combines fantasy with elements of horror or has a gloomy dark tone or a sense of horror and dread.
Why is fantasy so popular?
The reason that fantasy is so popular for both adults and children alike is that they offer escapism from work or school into a different realm . ... This is probably the reason that fantasy is such a broad category and unites almost everyone, from the elderly to those just starting to read, or to take an interest in films.
