FANTASY AS A LITERARY PHENOMENON: GENRE BOUNDARIES AND SUBGENRES

Abstract

The popularity of fantasy is one of the most notable features of the contemporary literary process. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the fantasy genre, one of the most popular yet also one of the most contentious phenomena in modern literature. The study is relevant due to the lack of an established approach to defining the genre status of fantasy, its blurred boundaries, and the multitude of definitions and classifications presented in contemporary literary discourse. This publication aims to explore the evolution of the fantasy genre from its literary origins to the present day. It summarizes the main scientific approaches to interpreting the concept of genre and outlines the specifics of fantasy, providing a systematic classification. This study is based on a theoretical and methodological analysis involving the systematization, generalization, and critical review of scientific works in the fields of literary studies, genre theory, and fantasy research. Using a comparative-descriptive method, the study aims to determine the genre specificity of fantasy, define its boundaries in relation to other genres, and classify its primary varieties. The article analyses key approaches to understanding genre as a dynamic literary category. It highlights problems relating to the classification of literary works and outlines contradictions concerning the definition of fantasy within the system of literary genres. Considerable attention is given to analyzing the definitions of fantasy proposed by foreign and Ukrainian researchers, as well as to identifying its defining features. These include irrationality, the mythopoetic model of the world, the narrative’s quest structure, and the axiological opposition of good and evil. The work also examines the primary classifications of fantasy, specifically the division into ‘high’ and ‘low’ fantasy, as well as the genre’s prevalent thematic typology in contemporary publishing practices. We concluded that fantasy is a complex and dynamic genre that is open to transformation and integration with other genres. This necessitates further comprehensive research, particularly in the context of national literatures.