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In popular [[culture]], the genre of fantasy is dominated by its medievalist form, especially since the worldwide success of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings The Lord of the Rings] by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien J. R. R. Tolkien]. In its broadest sense however, fantasy comprises works by many writers, artists, filmmakers, and musicians, from ancient [[myths]] and legends to many recent works [[embraced]] by a wide [[audience]] today.

In popular [[culture]], the genre of fantasy is dominated by its medievalist form, especially since the worldwide success of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings The Lord of the Rings] by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien J. R. R. Tolkien]. In its broadest sense however, fantasy comprises works by many writers, artists, filmmakers, and musicians, from ancient [[myths]] and legends to many recent works [[embraced]] by a wide [[audience]] today.

Fantasy is a vibrant area of academic [[study]] in a number of [[disciplines]] (English, cultural studies, comparative literature, [[history]], medieval studies). [[Work]] in this area ranges widely, from the structuralist theory of Tzvetan Todorov, which emphasizes the fantastic as a [[liminal]] [[space]], to work on the connections ([[political]], historical, literary) between medievalism and popular culture.  

Fantasy is a vibrant area of academic [[study]] in a number of [[disciplines]] (English, cultural studies, comparative literature, [[history]], medieval studies). [[Work]] in this area ranges widely, from the structuralist theory of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzvetan_Todorov Tzvetan Todorov], which emphasizes the fantastic as a [[liminal]] [[space]], to work on the connections ([[political]], historical, literary) between medievalism and popular culture.  

==Traits of fantasy==

==Traits of fantasy==

The identifying traits of fantasy are the inclusion of fantastic elements in a self-coherent (internally consistent) setting, where [[inspiration]] from [[mythology]] and folklore remain a consistent theme. Within such a [[structure]], any location of the fantastical element is possible: it may be hidden in, or leak into the apparently real world setting, it may draw the characters into a world with such elements, or it may occur entirely in a fantasy world setting, where such elements are part of the world.  American fantasy, starting with the stories chosen by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_W._Campbell,_Jr. John W. Campbell], Jr. for the magazine Unknown, is often characterized by internal [[logic]]. That is, the [[events]] in the story are impossible, but follow "[[laws]]" of [[magic]], and have a setting that is internally consistent.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy]

The identifying traits of fantasy are the inclusion of fantastic elements in a self-coherent (internally consistent) setting, where [[inspiration]] from [[mythology]] and folklore remain a consistent theme. Within such a [[structure]], any location of the fantastical element is possible: it may be hidden in, or leak into the apparently real world setting, it may draw the characters into a world with such elements, or it may occur entirely in a fantasy world setting, where such elements are part of the world.  American fantasy, starting with the stories chosen by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_W._Campbell,_Jr. John W. Campbell], Jr. for the magazine Unknown, is often characterized by internal [[logic]]. That is, the [[events]] in the story are impossible, but follow "[[laws]]" of [[magic]], and have a setting that is internally consistent.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy]