Spory o istotę i granice światów przedstawionych fantastyki

Abstract

Theory of literature has not yet created a terminology and methodology of research pertaining to the nature and limits of the worlds presented in fantasy genre which would be generally accepted and fully satisfactory. There are three basic ways of interpretation of the term “fantasy.” The most widespread use considers fantasy to be a specific genre which creates a world different from the one we know. Fantasy may also be taken to represent a supra-generic and timeless qualifier of a literary work. Most of the researchers of fantasy literature genealogy consider the myth of the original being and fairy tales to be its oldest examples. Simultaneously, they stress the unity of all the worlds represented, despite of the kind of fantastic elements appearing in it. The article takes as its basis of correct explanation of the nature and limits of fantastic worlds the category of motivation of fantastic elements, which, in turn, is a consequence of the functioning of the basic ontological laws of the work. This is the foundation of the work, its constructional basis. That is the reason why the author of this essay introduces four basic types of fantastic motivation: 1) mythological motivation, 2) fairy tale motivation, 3) anti-causal motivation and 4) science-fiction motivation. The work points out the most characteristic features of these fantastic motivations.