Fantasy Literature

A visual discussion of the Morte D'Arthur murals in the library of the Oxford Union. A visual discussion of the Morte D'Arthur murals in the library of the Oxford Union by Tom Corrick (Librarian) and Caroline Batten. the murals were painted by members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and influence many writers.

Jane Bliss introduces listeners to the work of Violet Needham, a prolific but little-remembered children’s fantasy author, whose book 'The Woods of Windri' draws on the tropes of medieval romances in fascinating ways.ays. Jane Bliss introduces listeners to the work of Violet Needham, a prolific but little-remembered children’s fantasy author, whose book 'The Woods of Windri' draws on the tropes of...

This lecture is an introduction to J.R.R. Tolkien's third major work, 'The Silmarillion' (1977), and considers its lengthy development in numerous prose and verse texts over fifty years. This lecture offers a guided tour through the development of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Silmarillion' corpus, inclusive of The Silmarillion (1977) and the earlier versions of the same work published in the History of Middl...

An analysis of two forms that dominate fantasy literature. Prosimetrum, the alternation between verse and prose as a narrative form, was an extremely popular form of writing in the ancient and medieval world. This talk asks why prosimetrum has survived as a literary form in modern fantasy literature and explores how fantasy writers like Tolkien and Kay employ shifts between verse and prose to dram...

A short introduction to the writer Guy Gavriel Kay. An introduction to the novels of Guy Gavriel Kay, examining his development as a writer from his early high fantasy roots to his later more historically-inspired novels. The talk discusses the dominant themes in Kay’s work, from his reflections on the retrospective construction of history to his enduring fascination with the power of art. Dr Kath...

Carolyne Larrington introduces the writing of Sylvia Townsend Warner. Carolyne Larrington introduces the writing of Sylvia Townsend Warner whose first novel 'Lolly Willowes' (1926) is a feminist fantasy classic, and whose last collection of short stories, 'Kingdoms of Elphin' (1977) makes play with European fairy traditions. Townsend Warner has recently been rediscovered as one of the most importa...

A brief introduction to the writer Ursula K. Le Guin. Caroline Batten offers a basic introduction to author Ursula K. Le Guin's life, work, and lasting impact on the genres of fantasy and science fiction. This ten-minute lecture is based on a talk given at 'Here Be Dragons': The Oxford Fantasy Literature Summer School in 2018. Caroline Batten is a doctoral researcher in Old English and Old Norse l...

A brief introduction to the writer T. H. White. This short lecture introduces T.H.White, focusing on his Arthurian epic 'The Once and Future King' and its relation to Sir Thomas Malory’s 'Le Morte Darthur'. Gabriel Schenk completed his DPhil at Pembroke College in 2014. His thesis analyses depictions of King Arthur, focusing on a period spanning the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries when t...

A brief introduction to the writer Diana Wynne Jones. This short lecture outlines Diana Wynne Jones’s early life, her major works, and a core element of her writing: the combination of different images and sources to create new, joyful stories. Gabriel Schenk completed his DPhil at Pembroke College in 2014. His thesis analyses depictions of King Arthur, focusing on a period spanning the mid-ninete...

'Game of Thrones' and storytelling. In 'Why Game of Thrones Matters', Carolyne Larrington discusses some reasons for the popularity of the HBO series, explores some of its principal themes and considers ways in which it both is – and isn't – like other epic fantasies. Carolyne Larrington teaches medieval English literature at St John's College, Oxford. She is the author of 'Winter is Coming: the M...

A guest lecture by Dr Maria Cecire (Bard College) discussing children's fantasy literature. Maria Sachiko Cecire introduces the idea of an Oxford School of children’s fantasy literature, describing how J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis pushed back against "modern" cultural changes in the first half of the 20th-century through both the fiction they wrote while medievalists at the University of Oxfor...

A short introduction to reading and studying fantasy literature. This shortened version of a lecture seeks to introduce the listener to the concept of fantasy literature. It begin by looking at how one can define the genre of fantasy and what texts it might, or might not contain. We look at two standard approaches adopted by scholars - the chronological 'long history' of fantasy, and common tropes...

A brief introduction to the writer, H. P. Lovecraft. A brief introduction to the American writer H. P. Lovecraft, the master of 'weird fiction'. The talk explores the definition of fantasy literature, why Lovecraft could be considered a writer of fantasy, his life and stories, and critiquing his works.