The Role of the Woods in Fantasy Literature

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to define what functions do forests in fantasy novels typically possess and how they are demonstrated. Furthermore, focus is placed on discovering how the woods can affect characters that enter them psychologically and physically. The research is based on a theoretical framework that specifies the importance of a setting in a narrative, defines typical functions of the woods, such as a labyrinth, an entity, the subconscious, a cultural time-capsule, a liminal space and other. Different types of forests are introduced and the researches explores the historical and modern approaches to nature and introduces the term topos. The author stresses the importance of culture, memory and history, demonstrates statements on examples from the analysed novels and defines the fantasy forest as a rich transformative landscape with a large number of functions through contrasting the fantasy novels from the second half of the 20th century up to contemporary fantasy.