Historical fantasy

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Arthur Rackham's illustration for Alfred W. Pollard's The Romance of King Arthur abridged from Thomas Malory's 15th-century Arthurian medieval fantasy novel Le Morte d'Arthur
Fantasy
Media
Genre studies
Subgenres
Fandom
Categories

Historical fantasy is a category of

magic) into a more "realistic" narrative.[1] There is much crossover with other subgenres of fantasy; those classed as Arthurian, Celtic, or Dark Ages could just as easily be placed in historical fantasy.[2]
Stories fitting this classification generally take place prior to the 20th century.

Films of this genre may have plots set in

mythology or legends
of Greek-Roman history, or the surrounding cultures of the same era.

Overview

Historical fantasy usually takes one of four common approaches:[3]

  1. Lord Dunsany's The Charwoman's Shadow, which takes place in Spain, but which ends with the magician in it removing himself and all creatures of romance from the world, thereby ending the Golden Age.[5]
  2. It also can include an alternative history, in which the past or present has been significantly changed when an actual historical event turned out differently.[6]
  3. The story takes place in a
    secondary world
    with specific and recognizable parallels to a known place (or places) and a definite historical period, rather than taking the geographic and historical "mix and match" favoured by other works of secondary world fantasy. However, many, if not most, works by fantasy authors derive ideas and inspiration from real events, making the borders of this approach unclear.
  4. Historical fantasy may also be set in a fictional world which resembles a period from history but is not that actual history.[6]

All four approaches have overlapped in the subgenre of

science fiction literature
. However, not all steampunk fantasy belongs to the historical fantasy subgenre.

Subgenres

Arabian fantasy

Cassim
in the treasure-filled thieves' cave

After

William Thomas Beckford (1786),[8] George Meredith's The Shaving of Shagpat (1856), Khaled (1891) by F. Marion Crawford, and James Elroy Flecker's Hassan (1922).[9]

In the late 1970s, interest in the subgenre revived with Hasan (1977) by Piers Anthony. This was followed by several other novels reworking Arabian legend: the metafictional The Arabian Nightmare (1983) by Robert Irwin, Diana Wynne Jones' children's novel Castle in the Air (1990), Tom Holt's humorous Djinn Rummy (1995) and Hilari Bell's Fall of a Kingdom.[9]

Celtic fantasy

Celtic fantasy has links to historical fantasy and

Deverry series, or Teresa Edgerton's Green Lion trilogy. These works are (loosely) based on ancient Celtic cultures. The separate folklore of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland has sometimes been used indiscriminately, sometimes with great effect, as in Paul Hazel's Finnbranch trilogy, Yearwood (1980), Undersea, (1982) and Winterking (1985);[10] other writers have distinguished between the three to use a single source.[11]

Notable works inspired by

Peter Tremayne, Morgan Llywelyn and Gregory Frost.[11]

The Welsh tradition has been particularly influential, which has to do with its connection to King Arthur and its collection in a single work, the epic Mabinogion.[11] One influential retelling of this was the fantasy work of Evangeline Walton: The Island of the Mighty, The Children of Llyr, The Song of Rhiannon, and Prince of Annwn. A notable amount of fiction has been written in the Welsh area of Celtic fantasy;[12] other notable authors of Welsh Celtic fantasy include Kenneth Morris, John Cowper Powys, Vaughan Wilkins, Lloyd Alexander, Alan Garner,[13] and Jenny Nimmo.[14]

Scottish Celtic fantasy is less common, but

Fiona MacLeod, William Sharp, George Mackay Brown and Deborah Turner Harris all wrote material based on Scottish myths and legends.[13]

Fantasy based on the Breton folklore branch of Celtic mythology does not often appear in the English language. However, several noted writers have utilized such material; Robert W. Chambers' The Demoiselle d'Ys (from The King in Yellow, 1895) and A. Merritt in Creep, Shadow! (1934) both drew on the Breton legend of the lost city of Ys,[15] while "The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun" (1930) by J. R. R. Tolkien is a narrative poem based on the Breton legend of the Corrigan.[16]

Classical fantasy

Classical fantasy is a subgenre of historical fantasy based on the Greek and Roman myths. Symbolism from classical mythology is enormously influential on Western culture, but it was not until the 19th century that it was used in the context of literary fantasy. Richard Garnett (The Twilight of the Gods and Other Tales, 1888, revised 1903) and John Kendrick Bangs (Olympian Nights, 1902) used the Greek myths for satirical purposes.[17]

20th-century writers who made extensive use of the subgenre included

feminist undertones.[17] Guy Gavriel Kay who has made a career out of historical fantasy, set his two novels in The Sarantine Mosaic series in a parallel world heavily mirroring Justinian I
's Byzantium.

Fantasy of manners

Main article: Fantasy of manners

Fantasy of manners, aka "mannerpunk," is a subgenre that takes place within a strict, elaborate, and hierarchical social structure. Inspired by the social novels and the comedy of manners of such authors as Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde, fantasy of manners involves class struggles among genteel characters in urban environments, and while duels are permitted, witty repartee often substitutes for physical conflict. Examples of fantasy of manners include Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

Fantasy steampunk

Fantasy steampunk is another subgenre of historical fantasy, generally set in the Victorian or Edwardian eras. Steam technology, mixed with Victorian or Gothic-style architecture and technology, is the most widely recognized interpretation of this genre. One of the most popular characteristics of steampunk is the appearance of naked clockwork, rusty gears, and engines. Typically, gunpowder fantasy also includes elements of real-world technology such as steam power, telegraphy, and in some cases early telephones or combustion engines. Some works in this genre are alternate history.

Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass is an example of a Fantasy steampunk novel, along with The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman and The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers.

Gaslamp fantasy

Main article:
Gaslamp fantasy

Gaslamp fantasy is a subgenre to both steampunk and historical fantasy that takes place in an alternative universe based on Victorian or Edwardian eras. However, magic plays a more important role than the era's mechanical technology.

Gunpowder fantasy

Sometimes called "muskets and magic". Gunpowder fantasy is generally set in a world with technology roughly equivalent to Early modern Europe (16th through 18th centuries), particularly the latter era. Gunpowder fantasy combines elements of high fantasy (magic, mythical creatures, races like elves, epic scale) with guns like muskets and rifles. It is a relatively new subgenre, but has been picking up popularity. It varies from medieval fantasy by inclusion of gunpowder. It varies from steampunk in that it stays away from the fantastic inventions (airships, machines, etc.) that are common in steampunk. Similar to steampunk, gunpowder fantasy is considered a step below its more popular cousin[citation needed].

Gunpowder fantasy examples include Solomon Kane series (1928–) created by Robert E. Howard, Monster Blood Tattoo Series by D. M. Cornish (2006–2010), Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa (2001–2010), Terrarch Tetralogy by William King (2011–), and The Powder Mage trilogy, Brian McClellan (2013–2015), The Shadow Campaigns (2013–2018) by Django Wexler.

Medieval fantasy

The Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, named Excalibur in its French version,[20] a medieval fantasy video game.[21]

Medieval fantasy encompasses works where aspects of medieval history such as

fairy tales, high fantasy, and low fantasy, can also overlap with medieval fantasy.[22]

The broad genre of medieval fantasy is common among role-playing games and high fantasy literature. Notable examples of medieval fantasy games the Getty Museum has listed include the Legend of Zelda series (1986-) and Dungeons & Dragons (1974).[21][23] Examples of literature listed include the Lord of the Rings trilogy (1954-1955) and A Song of Ice and Fire (1996-).[24][25]

Prehistoric fantasy

Stories set in prehistoric times and depicting the lives of prehistoric people. Prehistoric fantasy examples include the Earth's Children series by Jean M. Auel (1980-2011) and the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver.

Wuxia

Further information: Wuxia

Wǔxiá, literally meaning "martial (arts) heroes", is a subgenre of the quasi-fantasy and martial arts genre in literature, television and cinema. Wǔxiá figures prominently in the popular culture of Chinese-speaking areas, and the most important writers have devoted followings.

The wǔxiá genre is a blend of the philosophy of xiá (俠, "honor code", "an ethical person", "a hero"), and China's long history in wǔshù ("kung fu" or "martial arts"). A martial artist who follows the code of xiá is called a swordsman, or xiákè (俠客/侠客, literally "chivalrous guest"). Japan's samurai bushidō traditions, England's knight chivalry traditions, and America's gunslinger Western traditions all share some aspects with China's swordsman xiá traditions. The swordsman, however, need not serve a lord or hold any military power and they are not required to be from an aristocratic class.

See also

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-521-42959-7
    . Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  2. ^ Sinclair Frances, "Historical Fantasy", Riveting Reads plus Fantasy Fiction (UK: School Library Association), 69.
  3. ^ "What is historical fantasy?". Tor.com. 2009-07-31. Archived from the original on 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  4. ISBN 0-312-19869-8
  5. ^ "What is Historical Fantasy? – Steven Till – Author of medieval fiction". 5 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2017-03-10. Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  6. ^ a b Sinclair Frances, "Historical Fantasy", Riveting Reads plus Fantasy Fiction, (UK: School Library Association), 69.
  7. ISBN 0-7190-2677-6
    (pp. 175-196).
  8. ^ Kenneth Wayne Graham, Vathek and the escape from time: bicentenary revaluations. AMS Press, 1990 (p. 39).
  9. ^
    ISBN 0-313-32951-6
    , (pp. 187-189).
  10. ISBN 0-312-19869-8
    . Clute comments that the Finnbranch books "operate at a level of originality rare in fantasy".
  11. ^
    ISBN 0-312-19869-8
  12. ISBN 1-932265-07-4
  13. ^
    ISBN 0-8108-6829-6
  14. ISBN 0-313-30570-6
  15. ISBN 0-684-17808-7
  16. ISBN 0345465601
    (p. 18, 167-176).
  17. ^ a b c Stableford, The A to Z of Fantasy Literature ,"Classical Fantasy", pp. 79-80.
  18. ISBN 1-870824-45-8
  19. ^ John Clute, "Thomas Burnett Swann" in: E.F. Bleiler,.ed. Supernatural Fiction Writers. New York: Scribner's, 1985. pp.1097-1104.
  20. ^ Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (September 24, 1992). The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Super Nintendo Entertainment System). Nintendo. Excalibur retrouvera, préservant la pureté de la lignée des Chevaliers.
  21. ^
    ISBN 9781606067581
    .
  22. ^
    ISBN 9781606067581
    .
  23. ISBN 9781606067581
    .
  24. ISBN 9781606067581
    .
  25. ISBN 9781606067581
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Historical_fantasy&oldid=1224375027"