Het werk van Farah Mendlesohn duikt in de literaire geschiedenis van sciencefiction en fantasy, en biedt lezers een diepgaand inzicht in deze genres. Haar analytische benadering onderzoekt de retoriek en evolutie van speculatieve fictie, en belicht de onderliggende structuren en culturele impact. Als wetenschapper en redacteur heeft ze aanzienlijk bijgedragen aan het kritische discours rond fantasy en sciencefiction. Haar onderzoek nodigt lezers uit om de diepgang en het belang van genre-literatuur te waarderen.
Focusing on the English Civil Wars and their impact on political identities in England, Ireland, and Scotland, this book explores how historical fiction, particularly for young readers, has shaped popular memory of these events. Through an analysis of nearly two hundred works, it highlights the intricate relationship between fiction and history, revealing how children's literature has influenced perceptions of the English Civil War over the past three centuries. Farah Mendlesohn's insights provide a unique perspective on the cultural significance of these narratives.
Fantasy has been an important and much-loved part of children's literature for hundreds of years, yet relatively little has been written about it. Children's Fantasy Literature traces the development of the tradition of the children's fantastic - fictions specifically written for children and fictions appropriated by them - from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century, examining the work of Lewis Carroll, L. Frank Baum, C. S. Lewis, Roald Dahl, J. K. Rowling and others from across the English-speaking world. The volume considers changing views on both the nature of the child and on the appropriateness of fantasy for the child reader, the role of children's fantasy literature in helping to develop the imagination, and its complex interactions with issues of class, politics and gender. The text analyses hundreds of works of fiction, placing each in its appropriate context within the tradition of fantasy literature.
The book, first published in 2005, offers insights into its subject matter through rigorous analysis and scholarly perspectives. As part of the Routledge imprint, it contributes to the academic discourse within its field, showcasing research and theories that are relevant to contemporary discussions. The publication aims to engage readers with its comprehensive approach, making it a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals alike.
This volume compiles essays from scholars and practitioners exploring science fiction's intersection with various fields. It covers the genre's history, critical theories like Marxism and feminism, and themes such as race and gender. Contributions come from notable writers, providing a comprehensive analysis of science fiction.
The book explores the evolution of children's fantasy literature from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century, highlighting key authors like Lewis Carroll, L. Frank Baum, and J.K. Rowling. It examines changing perceptions of childhood and the suitability of fantasy for young readers, emphasizing the genre's role in fostering imagination. Additionally, it addresses the intricate connections between fantasy literature and themes of class, politics, and gender, providing a comprehensive analysis of numerous works within this rich literary tradition.
Some of the earliest books ever written, including "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and the "Odyssey," deal with monsters, marvels, extraordinary voyages, and magic, and this genre, known as fantasy, remained an essential part of European literature through the rise of the modern realist novel. Tracing the history of fantasy from the earliest years through to the origins of modern fantasy in the 20th century, this account discusses contributions decade by decade--from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy and Lewis's Narnia books in the 1950s to J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. It also discusses and explains fantasy's continuing and growing popularity
Transcending arguments over the definition of fantasy literature, Rhetorics of Fantasy introduces a provocative new system of classification for the genre. Utilizing nearly two hundred examples of modern fantasy, author Farah Mendlesohn uses this system to explore how fiction writers construct their fantastic worlds. Mendlesohn posits four categories of fantasy--portal-quest, immersive, intrusion, and liminal--that arise out of the relationship of the protagonist to the fantasy world. Using these sets, Mendlesohn argues that the author's stylistic decisions are then shaped by the inescapably political demands of the category in which they choose to write. Each chapter covers at least twenty books in detail, ranging from nineteenth-century fantasy and horror to extensive coverage of some of the best books in the contemporary field. Offering a wide-ranging discussion and penetrating comparative analysis, Rhetorics of Fantasy will excite fans and provide a wealth of material for scholarly and classroom discussion.Includes discussion of works by over 100 authors, including Lloyd Alexander, Peter Beagle, Marion Zimmer Bradley, John Crowley, Stephen R. Donaldson, Stephen King, C. S. Lewis, Gregory Maguire, Robin McKinley, China Mieville, Suniti Namjoshi, Philip Pullman, J. K. Rowling, Sheri S. Tepper, J. R. R. Tolkien, Tad Williams
Since Tolkien, Pratchett, Rowling, Pullman and Meyer, fantasy literature has
become one of the most popular genres in the English-speaking world. This book
puts this publishing phenomenon in a historical context, suggests different
ways of reading and appreciating this literature, and examines some of its
varieties and subgenres.
