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Download fileNegotiating selfhood: historical societies and identity in young adult fantasy fiction
thesis
posted on 2022-03-28, 14:10 authored by Olivia Catherine HartleyFantasy literature has occupied an ambivalent position in literary criticism. Hunt describes it as having been either enthusiastically defended or seriously rejected. One of the most derided genres of fantasy is that of 'sword and sorcery', alternatively labelled 'high', 'immersive' or 'marvellous' fantasy; the genre is criticised for the nostalgia apparently typified by its 'historical' or 'pseudo-mediaeval' setting.
This thesis seeks to re-examine 'immersive' fantasy that utilises pseudo-mediaeval settings through three modern young adult texts: Finnikin of the rock by Melina Marchetta, Rebel spring by Morgan Rhodes, and Touch of power by Maria Snyder. Of particular interest is the implicit claim that 'immersive fantasy' lacks sophistication and that the pseudo-historical setting is simply an expression of nostalgia rather than representative of any greater textual significance. Focussing particularly on the 'medieval' constructions of gender and class within the fantasy society, the thesis aims to demonstrate the way that these fantasy texts utilise historical motifs in order to articulate models of agentic subjectivity to their young adult readers. In doing so the thesis will attempt to contribute to the literary discussion of fantasy and further suggest the need for the re-examination and re-entry of 'immersive' or 'high' fantasy into critical discussion through examining the implications pseudo-historical settings have for the way that the genre models the construction of identity and the subject's interaction with society.
History
Table of Contents
Introduction -- Chapter 1. Mimesis without reality : the nature of 'historical otherworld' fantasy -- Chapter 2. Damsels, lords, knights and ladies : writing historical genders in 'otherworld' fantasy fiction -- Chapter 3. Serfs and lords : class systems and struggles in young adult 'historical otherworld' fantasy fiction -- Chapter 4. The rebel rises : developing agentic selfhoods in 'historical otherworld' fantasy -- Conclusion.Notes
Theoretical thesis. Bibliography: pages 54-56Awarding Institution
Macquarie UniversityDegree Type
Thesis MResDegree
MRes, Macquarie University, Faculty of Arts, Department of EnglishDepartment, Centre or School
Department of EnglishYear of Award
2014Principal Supervisor
Victoria FlanaganAdditional Supervisor 1
A. (Antonina) HarbusAdditional Supervisor 2
Robyn McCallumRights
Copyright Olivia Catherine Hartkey 2014. Copyright disclaimer: http://mq.edu.au/library/copyrightLanguage
EnglishExtent
1 online resource (iv, 56 pages)Former Identifiers
mq:53772 http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/1137475Usage metrics
Categories
Keywords
Social interaction in literatureFantasy fictionRhodes, Morgan.Young adult fiction -- History and criticismsubjectivityfantasySnyder, Maria. -- Touch of power -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.Young adult fictionMarchetta, Melinayoung adult literatureMarchetta, Melina, -- 1965-. -- Finnikin of the rock -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.Snyder, Maria.Rhodes, Morgan. -- Rebel spring -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.selfhoodIdentity (Pyschology) in literatureFantasy fiction -- History and criticism