Fantasy and Folklore from East to West

This course embarks on an interdisciplinary exploration of how fantasy literature both draws from, and transforms, local cultural traditions. By engaging with canonical texts such as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind alongside influential works from outside the Western canon—including the Japanese Konjaku Monogatarishū, Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita, and S.A. Chakraborty's Daevabad series—students investigate the intricate interplay between folklore and fantasy. The curriculum unpacks how folklore not only inspires fantastical narratives but also offers deep insights into cultural beliefs, traditional values, and the collective psychological imprints of diverse societies. Thus this course not only interrogates the interplay between fantasy literature and local folklore, but also challenges students to critically define what counts as fantasy and what we mean by folklore. In addition, the curriculum explores the transformative dynamics of fantasy in relation to its source material—whether it appropriates, extends, or undermines original cultural narratives and/or beliefs. Our analysis of primary texts is enriched by secondary scholarship that critically interrogates the role of fantasy, while also exploring its intersection with the related literary genres of science, religion, and history. The course considers whether fantasy appropriates and develops local folklore or, conversely, undermines its inherent cultural significance. The primary focus of this course is the analysis of seminal texts within the fantasy genre; however, in our concluding unit we consider the sustained appeal of fantasy within the digital realm. This final inquiry explores the widespread prevalence of fantasy in contemporary film and television, critically investigating underlying cultural dynamics that inform its enduring resonance as a genre.