| rdfs:comment | - Low Fantasy, auch Sword and Sorcery, Schwert und Magie, Heroic Fantasy oder Pulp Fantasy genannt, ist ein Subgenre der Fantasy.
- Low Fantasy - podgatunek fantasy. Jest on bliższy rzeczywistości(realnemu światu). Definicja tego podgatunku nie jest ściśle ustalona, ale zawiera różne inne podgatunki fantasy.
- Low fantasy is an umbrella term, describing various works within different sub-genres of fantasy, to contrast specific works with high fantasy. Though a vague term, some features that may indicate low fantasy are: downplaying of epic or dramatic aspects, de-emphasising magic, real-world settings, realism, cynical storytelling and dark fantasy. An archetypal example of low fantasy might take place in a quasi-historical setting where the protagonists lack a clear moral initiative, are haunted by dark pasts or character flaws and where conventional fantasy elements (such as magic, elves, or dwarves) are lacking or absent.
- Low Fantasy is a catchall, and rather inexact, term for that sub-genre of Fantasy that is neither high nor Heroic Fantasy, and usually not Urban Fantasy, though it may overlap with the other sub-genres. Not a good way to define a genre, but English is funny like that -- especially our particular brand of it. However, while there are no features all Low Fantasy has in common, there are features common in many low fantasies, each the opposite of one of the defining features of High Fantasy: Not to be confused with "pulp" fantasy. Examples of Low Fantasy include:
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| abstract | - Low Fantasy is a catchall, and rather inexact, term for that sub-genre of Fantasy that is neither high nor Heroic Fantasy, and usually not Urban Fantasy, though it may overlap with the other sub-genres. Not a good way to define a genre, but English is funny like that -- especially our particular brand of it. The designation is not a description of the quality of the work, but rather the amount of fantasy, and the number of fantastic or otherwise supernatural elements, it contains, which can be rather difficult to measure. Sometimes comedies are also excluded from the genre, but either way the works that remain don't have a natural unity. However, while there are no features all Low Fantasy has in common, there are features common in many low fantasies, each the opposite of one of the defining features of High Fantasy:
* Mundane settings: Urban, Historical, After the End, or otherwise subdued and only sparsely supernatural. A clear contrast to High Fantasy's wildly superpowered setting.
* Cynicism: Low fantasy is famous for its gray morality (or in nastier cases, Black and Gray Morality), while high fantasy is famous for its Black and White Morality.
* Human dominance: worlds which are populated mostly (or even exclusively) by human beings rather than the usual Tolkienesque mix of elves, dwarves and other humanoids.
* Plot scope: Tends to focus more on the survival and tribulations of one or a few individuals rather than the whole world. A villainous king who steals a magical artifact is less likely to be trying to bring back the Infernal Legions of Hell and conquer the world.
* Heroism: High fantasy heroes are usually all-around nice guys who stand up for the little guy and fight the bad guy. Low fantasy heroes tend to be bitter cynics desperately clinging to their broken moral compass or devil-may-care anti-heroes who save the woman from the evil sorcerer just for the sex.
* Methods: Victories achieved through physical combat, not magical battles or moral superiority - the defining feature of Heroic Fantasy.
* Tone: Tends to be darker or more comedic than your average high-fantasy world.
* Sorcerers: In high fantasy, they're kindly old men who sling fireballs in the name of justice, with the exception of the villain. Magic also tends to be treated as a wondrous force that binds the world together. Low fantasy treats sorcerers as freakishly evil, and quite often insane people who would sacrifice a thousand virgins to some hideous monstrosity from another dimension just to increase their power a tiny bit. Magic is well within Things Man Was Not Meant to Know territory and is often thought of as the evil corrupting force that entices innocent people into doing anything for power. And this all assumes, of course, that magic exists at all - there are examples where magic is essentially non-existent.
* War: In high fantasy a clear "Good vs. Evil" smackdown between civilized races and the Always Chaotic Evil races. In low fantasy, a useless war between two empires to make their lands marginally bigger. Low fantasy is also associated with low magic, but The Lord of the Rings, the quintessential High Fantasy, is set in a pretty low-magic world. It has been argued that 'soft' science fiction and Space Opera is essentially fantasy with spaceships and ray guns. It may almost be said that, thematically, Low Fantasy is soft science fiction with dragons and swords... and sometimes not even the former. Not to be confused with Demythtification, which is Mythology reimagined as history, or otherwise deconstructed. Not to be confused with "pulp" fantasy. Compare with Magic Realism, Mundane Fantastic and Dark Fantasy. Contrast with Standard Fantasy Setting, Dungeon Punk, Urban Fantasy. Examples of Low Fantasy include:
- Low Fantasy, auch Sword and Sorcery, Schwert und Magie, Heroic Fantasy oder Pulp Fantasy genannt, ist ein Subgenre der Fantasy.
- Low Fantasy - podgatunek fantasy. Jest on bliższy rzeczywistości(realnemu światu). Definicja tego podgatunku nie jest ściśle ustalona, ale zawiera różne inne podgatunki fantasy.
- Low fantasy is an umbrella term, describing various works within different sub-genres of fantasy, to contrast specific works with high fantasy. Though a vague term, some features that may indicate low fantasy are: downplaying of epic or dramatic aspects, de-emphasising magic, real-world settings, realism, cynical storytelling and dark fantasy. An archetypal example of low fantasy might take place in a quasi-historical setting where the protagonists lack a clear moral initiative, are haunted by dark pasts or character flaws and where conventional fantasy elements (such as magic, elves, or dwarves) are lacking or absent. There are many arguments about what constitutes the line between Low and High fantasy, but invariably in High Fantasy there is a moral dichotomy of altruistic good and irredeemable evil, and in low fantasy there are many shades of gray, where the "main character" is often an anti-hero. The Lord of the Rings is seen as the quintessential high fantasy tale that all others either emulate or studiously avoid, and so elves and dwarves and a commonality of magic are seen as the hallmarks of High Fantasy, but in truth it is the stark black and white separation of good and evil that locks it into the "High Fantasy" realm. Shadowrun, and the lore behind Shadowbane, are both examples of fantasy that includes elves and dwarves, in a setting without a clear good/evil dichotomy. Many of the White Wolf role-playing games would also be considered low fantasy, while including magic and/or "fantastical" races and themes because of the moral ambiguity of the setting. Additionally, Star Wars lacks typical High Fantasy races and has a science fiction setting, yet maintains the High Fantasy good versus evil theme. The sword and sorcery genre is the style of fantasy writing most associated with Low Fantasy.
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