GENRES OF FANTASY FROM THE ORAL TRADITION The stories we tell reflect who we are.

Why Oral Tradition?  Before the printing press  1476 for England  Few could read; none had TV  People told stories for many purposes  Entertain  Retain History  Teach Lessons

Fantasy Genres from the Oral Tradition  Fable  Folk Tale  Myth  Legend  Epic

Fable  Short story intended for youth ages 3-8  Main character is usually a talking animal  Story ends by explaining the moral  Example: Aesop’s Fables  Tortoise and the Hare  Ant and the Grasshopper

Folk Tale  Short story intended for youth ages 7-14  Story told to teach a lesson or moral, but it is implied and not explained  Main character is human but encounters talking animals  Protagonist overcomes large obstacles to learn a lesson  Includes something magical to signal the reader that it is not real  Often called fairy tales in England and the U.S.

Myth  Story that presents supernatural episodes as a means of interpreting natural events  Intended for both adults and youth  Often the stories of a dead religion  Focus on Gods, nature, and supernatural  Four common categories  Creation  Flood or explanation of nature  End of the world  afterlife

Legend  Collection of stories handed down over time by oral tradition centering around a single heroic figure  Some historical truth  Hero accomplishes deeds of great valor  Focuses more on hero than on Gods or explanation of nature  Examples  Arthur, Robin Hood, Zorro, Paul Bunyon

Epic  Long narrative poem in elevated style  Character of high position in adventures  The episodes are important to the history of the nation or race  They come in two forms  There are 12 epic characteristics

Types of epics Folk Epic Created by combining several stories or legends into a single piece after years or oral tradition Author is often unknown Examples Illiad, Odyssey, Beowolf Art Epic Story invented and written by one person, not recorded by someone who had already heard the legends More sophisticated Examples Aeneid, Divine Comedy

Epic Characteristics  Hero of imposing stature, of nation or international importance, and of great historical or legendary significance  Vast Setting, covering great nations, the world, or the universe  The action consists of deeds of great valor requiring superhuman strength or courage  Supernatural forces (such as gods, angels, or demons) interest themselves in the action

Epic Characteristics  Style of sustained elevated poetry is used  Rhyme scheme is sometimes internal or alliteration is used instead of rhyme  Poet retains a measure of objectivity  Or pretends to while sharing cultural propaganda  Poet begins by introducing the theme  With Greek epics this involves invoking a muse

Epic Characteristics  Story begins “in medias res”  Narration begins in the middle of the story, uses flashbacks to catch the reader up, and continues on with the plotline.  Poet lists catalogues of warriors, ships, armies (and often names weapons  Main characters give extended formal speeches

Epic Characteristics  Poet uses epic similes  Elaborated comparisons more ornate and involved (and longer) than a simple simile  Hero is often saved by the loyalty of a friend or servant

Modern-Day Near Epics  These are NOT epics because they are not poems, but, they have many of the characteristics  The Lord of the Rings  Harry Potter  Star Wars  Wheel of Time  Dune

Book Search  Look through the contents page or our literature book  Make a list of examples of each of the fantasy genres of oral tradition  Four of the five are clearly labeled  One piece of the Arthurian legend is in the book, but not listed as a legend

Identify the Genre  The Three Little Pigs  Hercules  Pandora’s Box  Little Red Riding Hood  Odyssey