This is a debate I got into recently with someone. I'd like to hear any and all answers. Yes! I'm letting you all loose to argue (respectfully)!
Do you think it's possible to have a fantasy genre today if it weren't for Tolkien? If yes, do you think it would be the same as it is now or drastically different?
2 comments:
It's difficult to predict what would or wouldn't be, but my guess is absolutely yes. Tolkien didn't create fantasy. He simply used it. He specialized in myths. Everything he did was based on what came before, myths, Norse Myths, Greek Myths, fairy tales and the like. We would definitely have a fantasy genere; we had one long before him.
It would indeed be different, however.
as Chana says, we did have a fantasy genre long before him, in the form of myths, fairytales etc. however, when Tolkien wrote his books, this genre was very much out of the picture - the trend was towards realism, at least in literature. Fairytales were not approved even for children. given that most trends, at some point, fizzle out and a reaction sets in, it is likely at some point that even without Tolkien, fantasy would have come back into vogue.
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