Genre

Fantasy

Speculative and Fantastic Fiction

A genre of speculative fiction built on supernatural or magical elements, frequently set in wholly imagined worlds with their own histories, creatures and systems of magic that need not answer to natural law or documented history. Supernatural material runs throughout earlier literary history, but the modern literary genre is usually dated from George MacDonald's Phantastes (1858), widely considered the first fantasy novel written for an adult readership; the genre did not reach a mass popular audience until J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, especially in their 1960s paperback editions, carried it into the literary mainstream. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts

Disputed

Place of Origin

Modern literary origin usually dated to Victorian Britain. 1

Supernatural material runs throughout earlier literary history worldwide, but the modern literary GENRE, as opposed to myth, folktale or romance, is usually dated from George MacDonald's Phantastes (1858), widely considered the first fantasy novel written for an adult readership; where exactly that boundary should be drawn is itself debated in genre scholarship.

Notable Example

George MacDonald, Phantastes (1858); J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955). 1

Defining Trait

Fantasy

4 entries

Active Era

Nationality

FAQs

How is fantasy told apart from science fiction?

Fantasy builds the impossible while science fiction stays grounded in the scientifically plausible.

Many prominent theorists hold that fantasy can generally be distinguished from science fiction by the plausibility of the narrative elements. A science fiction story may be about the unlikely while staying grounded in what is scientifically plausible, whereas fantasy narratives construct the impossible.

Connections

Encompasses Form

Isekai

LitRPG

Xianxia

Features Author

1Q84

Source 1Q84 (Wikipedia)

Baron Munchausen's Narrative of His Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia

Source Wikipedia: Baron Munchausen's Narrative of His Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia

Blood Heir

Source Blood Heir (Wikipedia)

Gulliver's Travels

Source Gulliver's Travels (Wikipedia)

H. P. Lovecraft

Source H. P. Lovecraft (Wikipedia)

Harry Potter in Calcutta

Source Harry Potter in Calcutta (Wikipedia)

J. R. R. Tolkien

The success of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings ignited mainstream interest in fantasy and led to his popular identification as the father of modern fantasy literature.

Source J. R. R. Tolkien (Wikipedia)

Joaquín Gutiérrez Mangel

Source Wikidata: Joaquin Gutierrez Mangel

Additional Source Joaquín Gutiérrez (Wikipedia)Infobox: genre

Journey to the West

Source Journey to the West (Wikipedia)

Suzanne Collins

Source Wikipedia: Suzanne Collins

Ted Chiang

Source Wikipedia: Ted Chiang

The Adventures of Pinocchio

Source Wikipedia: The Adventures of Pinocchio

The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath

Source The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath (Wikipedia)

The Hobbit

Source The Hobbit (Wikipedia)

The Little Mermaid

Source The Little Mermaid (Wikipedia)

The Lord of the Rings

Source The Lord of the Rings (Wikipedia)

The Mabinogion

Source Wikipedia: Mabinogion

Ursula K. Le Guin

Source Wikipedia: Ursula K. Le Guin

Xu Zhonglin

Source Wikipedia: Xu Zhonglin (novelist)

Yangsze Choo

Source Wikipedia: Yangsze Choo

Sources

1. Fantasy (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia)

lead and History sections
Lead section
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or magical elements, often including completely imaginary realms and creatures.