Taproots of Fantasy

The Fantasy genre goes back a long way in human history. There are stories that form the roots of the whole genre. These roots begin in mythology and stories range from ancient times to almost the present day. Reading some of these works is difficult, but provide the Fantasy lover with entertainment and a sound understanding of the genre today. They are worth the challenge and form the taproots of a viable genre now.

Ancient Greece gives us the first two taproots of Fantasy. They are the Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer. The Iliad is the story of the Trojan War. It has gods, heroes and a long war that ends with the destruction of a city over the beauty of a woman. The Odyssey is the story of a hero who takes ten years to get back home. He is one of the first characters that uses his brain instead of his brawn. Odysseus is the man that helps defeat the Trojans with his Trojan horse trick. After his success, he thinks himself better than the gods. They punish him by preventing his getting home. Along the way he encounters monsters, strange people and beautiful witches. This story is the stuff of Fantasy.

Another root comes from the Roman Empire with the Aeneid by Virgil. The story is about the Trojan warrior Aeneas. He embarks on a long journey to become the founder of Rome. His journey consists of battles, love, encounters with monsters and a trip to the underworld. It is an epic full of plenty of wonder. Another writer that contributed a taproot during Roman times was Ovid with his Metamorphoses. He wrote myths as stories of fiction.

After the fall of the Roman empire, civilizations were in flux. Whole groups of peoples shifted everywhere in Europe. The Anglo-Saxons were one of these groups. They contributed the epic story of Beowulf to the world. This is the tale of the warrior called Beowulf. He prefers a heroic life and pursues it through fighting. Beowulf helps the Danish king by fighting the horrible monster Grendel. The battle leads him to other adventures that form a life with many Fantasy elements to overcome.

During the Medieval period, many fantastic works were produced. King Arthur's story appears in this period. He is first mentioned in a history book of the Kings of Britain. Throughout the years, the story grows with the addition of folktales and romances by authors like Chretien de Troyes. The story is told in Le Morte de Arthur by Thomas Malory. It is full of knights, love, betrayal, battles and supernatural elements. One story that has all of these elements is "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." In this tale, Gawain must go on a quest to allow the Green Knight a chance to chop off his head like Gawain did to the Green Knight. This is a remarkable tale full of magic and with a flawed character.

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