Fantasy Genre: A Lens Into Ourselves “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one” (Martin 2000). This was a quote written by one of the most well known authors of our time, George R. R. Martin, and how true it is. Readers of the fantasy genre live lives full of magic, kings, castles, and heroes. The fantasy genre is one with deep roots in history, and it is still popular today. It has evolved through the years with changing opinions and beliefs, but fantasy literature from ancient times, the recent past, and the present, can be used to understand ourselves, our desires, and what is going on around us. People have been telling stories of noble heroes, great kings, and hideous monsters for millennia. …show more content…
One example is in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter as Voldemort seeks everlasting life. Immortality is also shown in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings when the immortal elf, Arwen, chooses to give up her eternal life to stay with the mortal she loved. These stories all take a fragment out of Gilgamesh’s tablet, so to speak. They depict immortality as something negative, urging readers to live their lives and to not fear death. The inevitability of death and the concept of grief consuming you is something that all humans have had to deal with, even in ancient times. Seeing the ancient influence on Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings helps us to understand ourselves and humanity more. Although many aspects of the genre come from ancient times, fantasy literature has evolved a lot within the modern age. Changes in culture, morals, norms, opinions, and preferences that come from current events are reflected in any kind of literature, and fantasy is no exception. In 1914 the first world war broke out. J. R.R. Tolkien served as a Lieutenant, and the war is often said to have influenced his writing. Tolkien denied that his novels were an allegory of the war, but other people say, “The Lord of the Rings is a mirror. A Middle-Earth threatened with …show more content…
Recently, audiences of the fantasy genre have craved a more relatable hero and world, An imperfect fan can find it hard to relate to a perfect hero. We can’t imagine ourselves in a perfect world where no one dies and good always wins. “ In our hearts we all know that outside of fiction the forces of evil are hardly ever marshaled so tightly in the camps of our opponents. A good number of villainy 's ranks are always to be found sleeping in our own tents.” (McCormick 2003). Authors have begun writing darker, grittier stories. Many people would say that the champion of this movement is George R .R. Martin, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, known best as the HBO series, Game of Thrones. “Tolkien created the genre of epic fantasy, and it is still dominated by his example. Martin is widely credited with taking such fiction in a more adult direction. A Song of Ice and Fire doesn 't truck with orcs and goblins and dark lords and bad and good. It revolves around people, really gritty people, and real situations, things that you don 't see in fantasy” (Miller 2011). A Song of Ice and Fire is notorious for having heroes and even main characters die. It is said of Martin that “None of his characters were guaranteed to survive to the next book, or even to the next chapter.” (Miller 2011). The entire genre has shown a “shift away from the romantic heroic Tolkien tradition to grittier, more morally complex stories that feature antiheroes and depict worlds where good and evil war
Heroes are defined by many characteristics and experiences. Traits such as courage and selflessness, or the adventure he embarks on could show that one is a true hero. Rob Reiner’s movie “The Princess Bride” contains characters which possess qualities that are of an archetypal hero, such as Inigo Montoya. After his father’s brutal murder by the six-fingered man, Inigo spends his life searching for his killer so he may bring his father’s spirit to rest. Inigo Montoya’s experience with common archetypes, his quest along the Hero’s Journey, and the heroic qualities he possesses aids in portraying him as an archetypal hero.
Thomas Foster claims that in most cases, the values of a writer’s dominant religion will in some way impact the literature they write (118). Many readers have found that when they returned to Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, the Christian undertones were much more recognizable, and for some that was a negative experience. “There’s nothing like a flaming sword to separate you from something…in this case that something is former innocence” (Foster 50).
Heroes have always been a major aspect of the literature world, with men taking on challenges beyond their limits, bravely saving the things around them, courageously helping someone, or numerous other heroic deeds. Millions of stories, whether they be new, old, fiction or nonfiction, have been published with a hero as the main character who endures struggle and glory through their journey. Over time, though, the hero archetype has changed drastically due to the change in the world and humanity. A hero from today’s day in age might be considered a hero, when back then hundreds of years ago, he/she would have been merely considered someone who has done a good thing. The archetype has undergone numerous changes considering the “hero’s” personality,
Leitmotifs hold significant weight in the plot development and characterization within the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It cements
The Illusion of a Perfect Hero Actor Anson Mount once made an insightful observation, “all of us have a hero and a villain in us.” This is something that has been confirmed over time, across cultures, and is also corroborated in famous literary works such as Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf and William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Key characters in these epics often rose to the occasion and made a positive impact on the society with their exceptional bravery, selflessness and moral courage. There were also instances where the same characters didn’t exercise the best judgment. Although Beowulf had many more heroic moments than Macbeth and Macduff, each of them had their virtues and flaws that surfaced at different times and under different circumstances,
Fiction is a forgotten gem; an untapped well of knowledge. It deals with the things that make us fundamentally human, such as conflict, passion, love, lust, jealousy, and hatred. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee highlights the truths about racism and especially stereotypes. In Lord of The Flies, William Golding focuses on the darkness that lives within all human beings. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury writes about the mistakes society makes when depending solely on technology and not allowing fiction to even exist in people’s households.
This was a significant event in Tolkien's life that could of lead to major events and emotion written in his
In the excerpt from the Epic of Gilgamesh, a quote that summarizes their views on mortal life nicely is “… for this too is the lot of man” (94). Which basically means that this is just the way the gods meant for mortals to live. To be mortal
The Protagonist's Heroic Qualities: Examining Character Development Within the pages of "A Clash of Kings," multiple characters can be considered protagonists, each showcasing their own heroic qualities. Jon Snow demonstrates resilience, honor, and a strong commitment to duty, while Daenerys Targaryen exhibits courage, compassion, and an unwavering pursuit of justice. By exploring these qualities, we witness the growth and transformation of the protagonists as they face the challenges and conflicts presented to
Literature has maintained a strong influence on society and its perceptions of heroes for centuries. In consequence, the time period in which a literary work is written reveals much about that society’s ideals. For example, the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, illustrates the deeds of a heroic knight and reflects the values of his community. Throughout the poem, Beowulf displays commendable behavior by saving another kingdom, defeating three villains, and maintaining allegiance to the lord and his people. Even though a millennium has passed since the release of this epic, heroes today display characteristics similar to those of Beowulf.
Yet it holds the same human experiences, same human emotions, and same human ambitions. It holds the same sentiments we hold dear today, such as life and friendship in utmost importance. It speaks of human ambition to be remembered and to live forever, that can be found even up to this day. Gilgamesh attributed his immortality with enduring monuments, such as the city of Uruk, modern day individuals, in the same manner, attribute their immortality with the name they made for themselves. The truth of society, how nature works, and how human beings relate with each other, and how man’s actions can influence other things, are greatly intertwined.
The whole notion of going through all sorts of hardships and perils to achieve eternal life signifies a hero’s fear of death. The famous hero of Greek mythology, Achilles, is said to be invincible since his mother dipped him in the River of Styx, but he still failed to survive when the Trojan prince shot him in his heel. It goes to show that no matter how strong, wise and powerful a hero is, he or she cannot escape the inevitable knocking of death. But in order to get the desired immortal life, a hero must first prove that he or she is worthy to gain such privilege.
Literature has maintained a strong influence on society and its perceptions of heroes for centuries. In consequence, the time period in which a literary work is written reveals much about that society’s ideal. For example, the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, illustrates the deeds of a heroic knight and reflects the values of his community. Throughout the poem, Beowulf displays commendable behavior by saving another kingdom, defeating three villains, and maintaining allegiance to the lord and his people. Even though a millennium has passed since the release of this epic, heroes today display characteristics similar to those of Beowulf.
“The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring” was the first part of the amazing three part trilogy that was written by J. R. R. Tolkien. In 2001, Peter Jackson released this tale as a film for all to see. This film shows the journey of Frodo Baggins and his eight companions, traveling to Mordor to destroy the great ring of power. Being a huge fan of these movies myself, I was grateful for the chance to give this film a critical analysis. There are several main concepts in the film that are highly relatable to Norse Mythology.
By creating a love story between two unlikely individuals, the readers are able to recreate many of the seems, but with them as the main protagonist. Being able to feel what the protagonist is feeling as the story progresses, is a main component in the romance genre. With the romance genre the readers are able to imagine the characters in real life, and view their traits first hand. Suspense is then created through the character’s actions, which can create new unexpected actions. The romance genre can be broken up into several types of categories including; Poetry and Novels.