Harri - Week Four

Is Tolkien’s notion of the ‘faery story’ linked to fantasy genre? How closely? 

Tolkien (1988), describes that ‘beast-fable’ is linked to fairy-stories, as the beast and birds talk like men in real fairy-stories. He implies that the magic of the ‘fairy realm’ is of its own nature, and that man cannot understand this. There are languages of birds, beasts and trees, which is main component in ‘beast-fable’ as the human race does not exist, and that animal form is only a mask upon a human race.

According to Tolkien (1988), the realm of ‘faery-story’ is filled with enchanted creatures such as beasts, birds, seas and beauty that is only present in this realm. The elements of this world create its own culture and genre as the strong hidden message, in which characters are subject to the capability of moral predicaments. In my opinion, Tolkien’s notion of the ‘faery story’ is linked fantasy genre because they both illustrate the means of the concept, which they both belong to the genre of imaginative fiction involving magic and adventure, especially in a setting other than the real world.

How does the fantasy genre relate to modern media such as video games?

Video games has evovled, as techonlogy is constistanly growing without us noticing this happening. We have come along way from playing ‘spacies’ to ‘sega’, to the different versions of ‘Play Station’ and now the portable devices of taking video games anywhere, and eveywhere you go. So has fantasy influenced this media? Most defintely! There are games such as ‘Final Fantasy’ and ‘God of War’ which portray the genre of fantasy. Although nowadays most video games are an adaption of movies. Harry Potter is one mainstream seen in video game form, along with Lord of The Rings. Having playing the games myself, there is something about it which draws my attention, and the need to play continously.

I guess the genre of fantasy relates to the media of video games, because the ‘player’ can control the characters destiny, and that the flavour of magic is the key that pulls you in. It captures you in a fanstastic place exciting wonder where imaginary creatures exist.