Religious Concepts in Fantasy Literature

Thèse de Master , 2008 , 84 Pages , Note: 2,0

Philologie Anglaise - Littérature

For a long time, the genre of fantasy has not been regarded as ‘real’ literature, because it apparently did not deal with problems from the real world and was often published in cheap paperbacks or journals. Furthermore, because its story did not take place in the real world, it was deemed to be unimportant and inconsequential. This was the reason why writers of fantastic stories could not until the middle of the twentieth century openly write about strange worlds which were so much different from ours. They had to disguise their stories as wondrous travel stories or accounts of strange dreams.
However, things changed. J. R. R. Tolkien's novels became an immediate success and prepared the readers for all those other fantasy writers who followed. This is one of the reasons why he is considered to be the father of modern fantasy.
Among the fantasy genre, there are various sub-genres. I will focus on the Dragonlance series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, which is a mixture of Epic Fantasy and Sword & Sorcery. The next work, the trilogy His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, is Children’s Fantasy, with the main protagonists being adolescents. Lastly, I will single out an aspect from the science fiction series Star Wars by George Lucas, which is his concept of the Force. The genres of science fiction and fantasy are closely related, because the first depicts a fictional future
or a fictional future civilisation in a different universe, and the latter often depicts fictional stories that, were it not for their fantastic elements, could well have taken place somewhere in the past. Therefore, it is not too astonishing that elements of science fiction stories could just as well exist in fantasy literature.
The religious concepts which I will analyse in this thesis are taken from various culture groups. ‘Religious concepts’ is a term in which I include, for one, concepts and ideas that deal with rituals or beliefs in connection with any kind of higher beings. It also includes ideas or philosophies which require some kind of ‘believing’. Also, single aspects of religions like the idea of dualism from the gnostics or the concept of balance, which can be found for example in Buddhism, belong to the definition of ‘religious concepts’ in this thesis as well as various religious teachings.
Additionally, I will take the various movies related to the three stories into consideration, because they provide further information and facts for interpretation.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Preface
• Dragonlance
  • When Gods Are Bored
    • Creation Myth
    • The Divine Pantheon
      • A Modern Approach - Autonomous Worship And Feminist Scholarship
      • Duality Around a Middle
      • Gods of Good
      • Gods of Neutrality
      • Gods of Evil
      • Familiar Names
      • Chaos and the High God
    • The Dragons
    • Numerology
  • Higher Beings and Divine Entities
    • "And God Created Man In His Own Image"
    • Ludwig Feuerbach's Projection Theory
  • The Master of The Present And The Past
    • Twins - A Divine Sign
    • Creation of Life
    • Elementary Particles
    • How to Become a God
  • The Animated Chronicles – Dragons of Autumn Twilight
• His Dark Materials
  • Elementary Particles
    • The Many-Worlds-Theory
    • Dust, Sexuality And Multiple Eves
  • Pullman's Deconstruction of Dogmas
    • The Fall of Mankind - Dammnation or Blessing?
    • The Heaven-Hell-Deception
    • The Day The Authority Died
    • A Human Satan
  • Body, Soul And Ghost
    • The Trinity Within Oneself
    • Dæmons And Animal Symbolism
  • Northern Lights on Screen — The Golden Compass
• The Force
  • A Religious Fantasy Element in Science Fiction
    • Magic And The Force
    • Taoism in The Force
  • Jedi And Sith - The Chosen Ones
    • An All-Encompassing Power
    • Two Sides of a Medal – The Prophecy of Balance
  • " in a galaxy far, far away." - The Star Wars Universe
    • Expanded
    • New Generation Jedi
    • Devoid of The Force

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to explore the portrayal of religious concepts in fantasy literature, focusing on the works of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, Philip Pullman, and George Lucas. Through an analysis of various fantasy worlds, the study aims to understand how these authors utilize religious themes and ideas to enhance their narratives and create complex, multifaceted characters. The thesis will also examine the influence of real-world religions and philosophies on these fictional universes.

• The role of religious concepts in building fictional worlds
• The interplay between religious beliefs and morality in fantasy literature
• The use of religious symbolism and imagery to enhance storytelling
• The deconstruction and reinterpretation of traditional religious ideas in contemporary fantasy
• The relationship between fantasy and science fiction in the context of religious themes

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The thesis begins with a preface that provides a brief overview of the evolution of fantasy literature and defines the term 'religious concepts' as used in the study. It then delves into the Dragonlance series, exploring its intricate creation myth, the diverse pantheon of gods, and the role of dragons in the narrative. The analysis focuses on the series' blend of epic fantasy and sword & sorcery elements, highlighting the complexity of its characters and storyline.

Chapter 3 examines Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, focusing on its exploration of the Many-Worlds-Theory and the concept of dust. The chapter analyzes Pullman's deconstruction of traditional religious dogmas, specifically the Fall of Mankind, the Heaven-Hell dichotomy, and the concept of the Authority. It also explores the symbolism of dæmons and their relationship to human identity.

Chapter 4 shifts to the Star Wars universe, examining the concept of the Force as a religious element within a science fiction setting. The chapter explores the influence of Taoism on the Force and analyzes the dynamics between the Jedi and Sith, emphasizing the prophecy of balance. It also discusses the expansion of the Star Wars universe and the introduction of new generations of Jedi and individuals devoid of the Force.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The central keywords and focus topics of this thesis include religious concepts, fantasy literature, world-building, creation myths, pantheons, deities, dragons, symbolism, deconstruction, reinterpretation, the Many-Worlds-Theory, dust, dæmons, the Force, Jedi, Sith, balance, and the evolution of fantasy.

• Université: University of Bayreuth
• Note: 2,0
• Auteur: Nadine Wolf (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2008
• Pages: 84
• N° de catalogue: V153837
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640661572
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640661428
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Religious, Concepts, Fantasy, Literature