SF-1167 Fantasy Fiction: Imaginary Worlds
Readers lining up at midnight for the newest Harry Potter book, hundreds of thousands of viewers crashing HBO's website in their eagerness to watch Game of Thrones: examples of fantasy's recent popularity are everywhere. This course explores the genre of contemporary fantasy through a historical and critical lens, from the work of J.R.R. Tolkien to the 2015 Nebula Award Winner, Uprooted. We will begin by reading selections from medieval literary texts, including Arthurian legend and Anglo-Saxon epic, to understand the roots of the fantasy genre and consider how these early works have inspired and informed the world-building efforts of later authors. We will also explore fantasy's newest manifestations across different kinds of media, from big-budget film adaptations to internet fan fictions. Critical questions will include: How do works of fantasy deal with the ethical questions surrounding the categories of "good" and "evil", "monstrosity" and "otherness" How do common fantasy plots such as coming-of-age or quest narratives work to aid in fictional character development and build suspense? How are contemporary anxieties about issues such as gender, race and class explored through the genre of fantasy?