Fantasy Literature

Fantasy Literature has emerged as one of the most important genres over the past few decades and now enjoys extraordinary levels of popularity. The impact of Tolkien’s Middle-earth works and the serialisation of George Martin’s Game of Thrones books has moved these and their contemporaries into mainstream culture. As the popularity grows so does interest in the roots of fantasy, the main writers and themes, and how to approach these texts.

Oxford is a natural home to fantasy literature with those who worked or studied here having written so many famous and influential texts (e.g. Lewis Carroll [C. L. Dodgson], C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Susan Cooper, Diana Wynne Jones, Alan Garner, and Philip Pullman to name but a few) – leading to the notion of an ‘Oxford School of Fantasy’. These lectures, short talks, and interviews seek to take listeners into these works and these writers and beyond.

We have five collections for you to look at. 1) Fantasy Literature: An Introduction - ideal for beginners with a dedicated introduction to the 'genre' by Stuart Lee and then a series of short talks on key writers. 2) Fantasy Literature: Thinking Further - more detailed analysis of writers, texts, and themes. 3) Fantasy at Oxford - highlighting some of the authors who are often listed under the 'Oxford Fantasy School' and the Inklings, but also some of the collections held in Oxford libraries and archives related to fantasy. 4) Tolkien at Oxford - a series of talks dedicated solely to J. R. R. Tolkien and his works. 5) Modern Fairies - an ongoing research project into the continued importance of faerie, fairy-tales, and folklore in various media.

If you enjoy these podcasts on 'Fantasy Literature' we would love to hear your feedback. Please complete a short survey at: https://oxford.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/oxford-fantasy-podcasts.