Fantasy trope
Afantasy tropeis a specific type ofliterary trope(recurring theme) that occurs infantasy fiction.Worldbuilding,plot, and characterization have many common conventions, many of them having ultimately originated inmythandfolklore.J. R. R. Tolkien'slegendarium(and in particular,The Lord of the Rings) for example, was inspired from avariety of different sourcesincluding Germanic, Finnish, Greek, Celtic and Slavic myths.Literaryfantasy works operate using these tropes, while others use them in arevisionistmanner, making the tropes over for various reasons such as for comic effect, and to create something fresh (a method that often generates newclichés).[1]
Good vs. Evil
[edit]The conflict ofgood against evilis a theme in the many popular forms of fantasy; normally, evil characters invade and disrupt the good characters' lands.[2]J. R. R. Tolkiendelved into the nature of good and evil inThe Lord of the Rings,but many of those who followed him use the conflict as aplot device,and often do not distinguish the sides by their behavior.[3]In some works, most notably insword and sorcery,evil is not opposed by the unambiguously good but by the morally unreliable.[4]
Hero
[edit]Heroic characters are a mainstay of fantasy, particularlyhigh fantasyandsword and sorcery.[citation needed]Such characters are capable of more than ordinary behavior, physically, morally, or both.[5]Sometimes they might have to grow into the role ordained for them.[6]This may take the form of maturation,[7]which is often throughComing of Age.
Manyprotagonistsare, unknown to themselves, ofroyal blood.[citation needed]Even in so fanciful a tale asThrough the Looking-Glass,Alice is made a queen in the end; this can serve as a symbolic recognition of the hero's inner worth.[8]Commonly, these tales revolve around the maltreated hero coming into his or her own. This can reflect a wish-fulfillment dream, or symbolically embody a profound transformation.[9]
Dark Lord
[edit]The forces of evil are often personified in a "Dark Lord". Besides possessing vast magical abilities, a Dark Lord often controls great armies and can be portrayed as possessing devil-like qualities.[10]A Dark Lord is usually depicted as the ultimate personification of evil.[citation needed]
| Name | Source |
|---|---|
| Sauron | The Lord of the Rings |
| Thulsa Doom | archenemy ofConan the Barbarian |
| theDark One(Shai'tan) | The Wheel of Time |
| SithLords | Star Wars |
| Lord Voldemort | Harry Potter |
| theSkeksis | The Dark Crystal |
| Darkseid | DC Comics |
| Thanos | Marvel Comics |
| Mundus | theDevil May Cryvideo game series |
| Dracula | theCastlevaniaseries |
| Skeletor | Masters of the Universe |
| Morgoth | The Silmarillion |
| Arawn Death-Lord | The Chronicles of Prydain |
| Torak | The Belgariad |
| Nightmare | Soulcalibur |
| Ganon | The Legend of Zelda |
| Exdeath | Final Fantasy V |
| Galbatorix | The Inheritance Cycle |
The villain of theDemon Swordvideo game is also literally called Dark Lord.
In theLone Wolfgamebooks,the Dark Lords are a race of powerful evil beings.[11]The protagonists of theOverlordvideo game franchise are classic Dark Lords in the vein of Sauron. The Dark Lord is usually seen as unmarried, though there has been the occasion when one has attempted to claim a bride.
Quest
[edit]Quests, an immemorial trope in literature, are common in fantasy. They can be anything from a quest to locate theMacGuffinsnecessary to save the world, to an internal quest ofself-realization.[12]
Magic
[edit]In fantasy, magic often has an overwhelming presence, although its precise nature is delineated in the book in which it appears. It can appear in afantasy world(as inThe Lord of the RingsorShannara), or in a fantasy land that is part of reality but insulated from the mundane lands (as inXanth), or as a hidden element in real life (as inThe Dresden Files).[13]
A common trope is that magical ability is innate and rare. As such, magic-wielding people are common figures in fantasy.[14]Another feature is themagic item,which can endow characters with magical abilities or enhance the abilities of the innately powerful. Among the most common aremagic swordsandmagic rings.
Self-fulfilling propheciesare amongst the most common forms of magic because they are an often usedplot device.Often the effort undertaken to avert them brings them about, thus driving the story. It is very rare for a prophecy in a fantasy to be false, although usually, their significance is only clear with hindsight.Quibblescan undermine the clearest appearing prophecies.[15]
InThe Lord of the Rings,J. R. R. Tolkien minimized the use of the word 'magic'; beings who use such abilities tend to be confused when they are described this way by others.
Science fantasystories often make use of scientifically implausible powers similar to magic, such aspsychics.[16]However, unlike truescience fictionworks, these powers are used in apulpmanner with no examination of their effects on society, only to create more spectacular effects than science fiction alone can provide.[16]An example of this is the use ofthe Forceby theJediin theStar Warsfranchise.[17]
Medievalism
[edit]Many fantasy creatures are inspired by European folklore and theromancesof medieval Europe.Dragonsandunicornsare among the most popular creatures. Other monsters, such asgriffins,giants,andgoblinsalso appear. Races of intelligent beings such aselves,dwarves,andgnomesoften draw their history from medieval or pre-Christian roots. Characteristics of the hero and heroine also frequently draw on these sources as well.
This trope is also very important in the setting of many of these fantasies. Writers from the beginnings of the fantasy genre, such asWilliam MorrisinThe Well at the World's EndandLord DunsanyinThe King of Elfland's Daughter,set their tales infantasy worldsclearly derived from medieval sources; though often filtered throughlater views.J. R. R. Tolkienset the type even more clearly forhigh fantasy,which is normally based in such a "pseudo-medieval" setting. Other fantasy writers have emulated him, androle-playingandcomputer gameshave also taken up this tradition.
The full width of the medieval era is seldom drawn upon. Governments, for instance, tend to be feudalistic, corrupt empires despite the greater variety of the actual Middle Ages.[18]Settings also tend to be medieval in economy, with many fantasy worlds disproportionatelypastoral.[19]
These settings are typical ofepic fantasyand, to a lesser extent, ofsword and sorcery— which contains more urban settings — than of fantasy in general; the preponderance of epic fantasy in the genre has made them fantasy commonplaces. They are less typical ofcontemporary fantasy,especiallyurban fantasy.
Ancient world
[edit]A less common inspiration is theancient world.A famous example is theHyborian Age(the fictional world ofConan the Barbarian), which features analogues ofAncient Egypt,Mesopotamia,and theRoman Empire,among others. Three notable recent series with such settings are:BartimaeusbyJonathan Stroud,Percy Jackson & the OlympiansandThe Heroes of OlympusbyRick Riordan.
Races and species
[edit]
Many fantasy stories and worlds refer to their mainsapienthumanoidcreatures as races, rather thanspecies,in order to distinguish them from non-sapient creatures.[20]J. R. R. Tolkien popularized the usage of the term in this context, in hislegendarium(and particularly inThe Lord of the Rings), and the use ofracesin theDungeons & Dragonsrole-playing gamesfurther spread the label.[21]Many fantasy and science fiction settings now use the terms race and species interchangeably, such as theWorld of Warcraftcomputer game.
In role-playing games, "race" typically refers to any sapient species usable as aplayer character.Older editions ofDungeons & Dragonscalled the primary non-human player races (dwarf,elf,gnome,halfling,andhalf-elf,half-orc) "demi-humans." Later games such asShadowrunuse the term "metahuman," and define these humanoid races as subdivisions ofHomo sapiens.
See also
[edit]- Archetype
- Cliché
- Damsel in distress
- Role reversal
- Stereotype
- Stock character
- List of science fiction themes
References
[edit]- ^Clute 1999,p. 810.
- ^"Top 10 Epic / High fantasy books".Fantasybookreview.co.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 19 May 2014.Retrieved13 May2014.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 422.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 323.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 464.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 136.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 972.
- ^Prickett 1979,pp. 145–156.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 466.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 250.
- ^"The Darklords of Helgedad".The World of Magnamund Webring.Archivedfrom the original on 5 June 2009.Retrieved13 July2009.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 796.
- ^Clute 1999,pp. 615–616.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 616.
- ^Clute 1999,p. 789.
- ^abMann, George (2012). "The History and Origins of Science Fiction".The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.London: Constable & Robinson.ISBN978-1780337043.OCLC804664796.
- ^Sinclair, Frances (2008).Riveting Reads plus Fantasy Fiction.School Library Association. Wanborough, Swindon, UK: School Library Association. p. 88.ISBN978-1903446461.OCLC272332168.
- ^Hardinge, Frances."Article: Quality in Epic Fantasy, by Alec Austin".Strangehorizons.Archivedfrom the original on 8 August 2014.Retrieved4 August2014.
- ^Yolen 1992,p. VIII.
- ^Tresca 2010,p. 30.
- ^Livingstone 1982,p. 74.
Sources
[edit]- Anderson, Poul; Miesel, Sandra (1981).Fantasy(1st ed.). [S.l.]: Tom Doherty Associates.ISBN0-523-48515-8.
- Clute, John (1999).The Encyclopedia of Fantasy(1st St. Martin's Griffin ed.). New York: St. Martin's Griffin.ISBN0-312-19869-8.
- Livingstone, Ian (1982).Dicing with Dragons.Routledge.ISBN0-7100-9466-3.
- Prickett, Stephen (1979).Victorian Fantasy.Bloomington: Indiana University Press.ISBN0-253-17461-9.
- Tresca, Michael J. (2010).The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games.McFarland.ISBN978-0-7864-6009-0.
- Yolen, Jane (1992).After the King: Stories in Honor of J.R.R. Tolkien(1st ed.). New York: T. Doherty Associates.ISBN0-312-85175-8.
External links
[edit]
Media related toFantasy tropesat Wikimedia Commons
