Types of Fantasy in Literature

Abstract

What defines fantasy, more than anything, is a magical setting. A world where the laws of nature can be manipulated in ways those aren’t logical. A true suspension of disbelief is The Ultimate Guide to Fantasy Subgenres. Fantasy is a form of literary genre in which a plot cannot occur in the real world. Its plot usually involves witchcraft or magic, taking place on an undiscovered planet of an unknown world. In terms of literature, Fantasy is described as “imaginative fiction dependent for effect on strangeness of setting (such as other worlds or times) and characters (such as supernatural beings).” In view of its representation, Fantasy is called “the literature of unreality” or “literature which does not give priority to realistic representation”. Ursula Le Guin defines fantasy as, 'the natural, the appropriate language for the recounting of the spiritual journey and the struggle of good and evil in the soul.' (Le Guin, 1992, 64). This paper brings out the different types of fantasies in literature in order to make the reader understand the term ‘Fantasy’ in detail. It also deals with a lot of examples on each type of fantasy to make the process of understanding easier.