This accessible new introduction to Fantasy literature, media and culture delves into pasts, presents, practices and communities. It considers Fantasy as a deep-rooted form, discusses a wide range of media permutations and reflects on the ways in which fantasies draw from and return ideas to a dynamic, ever-shifting commons.
Focusing on the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the book delves into the social benefits authors gained from their writings, overshadowing financial or aesthetic rewards. It investigates the dynamics between authors and publishers, the complexities of literary sociability, and the obstacles faced by aspiring writers, especially those from less privileged backgrounds. Additionally, it discusses the professionalization of periodicals and how new paradigms and technologies reshaped the consumption and perception of literary works during this transformative period.
Featuring awe-inspiring illustrations and representing the gamut of fantastic creativity from Gilgamesh to Ursula K. Le Guin, from Beowulf to the Brontes, and from The Dark Crystal to the Dark Souls franchise, Realms of Imagination is a treasure trove of new perspectives and fresh discoveries. číst celé