For a long time, the genre of fantasy has not been regarded as ‘real’ literature, because it apparently did not deal with problems from the real world and was often published in cheap paperbacks or journals. Furthermore, because its story did not take place in the real world, it was deemed to be unimportant and inconsequential. This was the reason why writers of fantastic stories could not until the middle of the twentieth century openly write about strange worlds which were so much different from ours. They had to disguise their stories as wondrous travel stories or accounts of strange dreams.
However, things changed. J. R. R. Tolkien's novels became an immediate success and prepared the readers for all those other fantasy writers who followed. This is one of the reasons why he is considered to be the father of modern fantasy.
Among the fantasy genre, there are various sub-genres. I will focus on the Dragonlance series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, which is a mixture of Epic Fantasy and Sword & Sorcery. The next work, the trilogy His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, is Children’s Fantasy, with the main protagonists being adolescents. Lastly, I will single out an aspect from the science fiction series Star Wars by George Lucas, which is his concept of the Force. The genres of science fiction and fantasy are closely related, because the first depicts a fictional future
or a fictional future civilisation in a different universe, and the latter often depicts fictional stories that, were it not for their fantastic elements, could well have taken place somewhere in the past. Therefore, it is not too astonishing that elements of science fiction stories could just as well exist in fantasy literature.
The religious concepts which I will analyse in this thesis are taken from various culture groups. ‘Religious concepts’ is a term in which I include, for one, concepts and ideas that deal with rituals or beliefs in connection with any kind of higher beings. It also includes ideas or philosophies which require some kind of ‘believing’. Also, single aspects of religions like the idea of dualism from the gnostics or the concept of balance, which can be found for example in Buddhism, belong to the definition of ‘religious concepts’ in this thesis as well as various religious teachings.
Additionally, I will take the various movies related to the three stories into consideration, because they provide further information and facts for interpretation.
Table of Contents
1 Preface
2 Dragonlance
2.1 When Gods Are Bored
2.1.1 Creation Myth
2.1.2 The Divine Pantheon
2.1.2.1 A Modern Approach – Autonomous Worship And Feminist Scholarship
2.1.2.2 Duality Around a Middle
2.1.2.3 Familiar Names
2.1.2.4 Chaos and the High God
2.1.3 The Dragons
2.1.4 Numerology
2.2 Higher Beings and Divine Entities
2.2.1 “And God Created Man In His Own Image”
2.2.2 Ludwig Feuerbach’s Projection Theory
2.3 The Master of The Present And The Past
2.3.1 Twins – A Divine Sign
2.3.2 Creation of Life
2.3.3 How to Become a God
2.4 The Animated Chronicles – Dragons of Autumn Twilight
3 His Dark Materials
3.1 Elementary Particles
3.1.1 The Many-Worlds-Theory
3.1.2 Dust, Sexuality And Multiple Eves
3.2 Pullman’s Deconstruction of Dogmas
3.2.1 The Fall of Mankind – Dammnation or Blessing?
3.2.2 The Heaven-Hell-Deception
3.2.3 The Day The Authority Died
3.2.4 A Human Satan
3.3 Body, Soul And Ghost
3.3.1 The Trinity Within Oneself
3.3.2 Dæmons And Animal Symbolism
3.4 Northern Lights on Screen – The Golden Compass
4 The Force
4.1 A Religious Fantasy Element in Science Fiction
4.1.1 Magic And The Force
4.1.2 Taoism in The Force
4.2 Jedi And Sith – The Chosen Ones
4.2.1 An All-Encompassing Power
4.2.2 Two Sides of a Medal – The Prophecy of Balance
4.3 “… in a galaxy far, far away …” – The Star Wars Universe Expanded
4.3.1 New Generation Jedi
4.3.2 Devoid of The Force
5 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This thesis investigates how religious concepts are utilized and deconstructed within contemporary fantasy literature and film. It focuses on the portrayal of divine systems, the role of creators, and the influence of established mythologies and philosophies on the fictional narratives of three specific series, exploring the convergence of science and religion in these imaginary worlds.
- Analysis of divine pantheons and mythology in the Dragonlance series.
- Deconstruction of religious dogmas and Christian motifs in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials.
- Examination of the Force as a religious and mystical element in the Star Wars saga.
- Exploration of Taoist and Gnostic influences within science fiction and fantasy.
- Comparison of moral dualism and the concept of balance across different fictional universes.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.1. Creation Myth
Since the world of Krynn is populated by many different races, each of them has their own version of how the world came into being. However, the only account that can be found in the novels and that explains the creation myth from the start is told from the view of a race called the Irda. To understand the following analyses, I will relate the creation myth in a shortened version.
In the beginning, Chaos, the Father of All and Nothing, gave birth to his three children Paladine, Gilean and Takhisis. Takhisis was the only daughter and the youngest child, and according to the Irda, she was restless, ambitious, and bored. Because she wanted order, she approached her two elder brothers with the idea of creating a world. Paladine agreed, because he had long since wanted a meaning to life. Gilean consulted Zivilyn, a god from another immortal plane, who could see both into the past and the future. After looking through all possible outcomes, he deemed the idea a good one, and so Gilean agreed, as well. However, both brothers agreed under the assumption that Takhisis had consulted their father, which she said she had although she had not, because she knew he would have been opposed to the idea. Having obtained the agreement of her brothers, Takhisis went to the god Reorx, a god living by himself and creating wondrous things on his forge. Takhisis praised his forgings and, to put them to good use, suggested he created a whole world. She proposed he created a world with spirits on it, so that he had new challenges in his immortal life and could teach the spirits everything he knew. He agreed, and so the gods gathered to watch Reorx form the world of Krynn from a chunk of molten metal, the sparks from his hammer form the stars, and the stars’ light give birth to living spirits.
Summary of Chapters
Dragonlance: Provides an overview of the role-playing game origins and the divine cosmology of the world of Krynn.
When Gods Are Bored: Discusses the creation myth, the structure of the pantheon, and the integration of traditional mythology and numerology.
Higher Beings and Divine Entities: Analyzes the manifestation of gods in mortal forms and the application of Ludwig Feuerbach’s projection theory.
The Master of The Present And The Past: Examines the narrative significance of twins and the recurring literary motif of creation and godhood.
The Animated Chronicles – Dragons of Autumn Twilight: Reviews the film adaptation and its deviations from the source novel.
His Dark Materials: Introduces Philip Pullman’s trilogy and its fundamental departure from traditional religious frameworks.
Elementary Particles: Explores quantum mechanics-inspired concepts such as the many-worlds theory and the nature of Dust.
Pullman’s Deconstruction of Dogmas: Investigates the portrayal of the fall of mankind, afterlife concepts, and the authority figure.
Body, Soul And Ghost: Analyzes the psychological and ontological division of the human being in Pullman's universe.
Northern Lights on Screen – The Golden Compass: Compares the cinematic representation of religious elements with the original narrative.
The Force: Discusses the mythological and religious implications of the power field in the Star Wars universe.
A Religious Fantasy Element in Science Fiction: Relates the concept of the Force to magical traditions and philosophical systems.
Jedi And Sith – The Chosen Ones: Explores the moral duality and balance between the light and dark sides of the Force.
“… in a galaxy far, far away …” – The Star Wars Universe Expanded: Details the evolution of Jedi doctrine and specific religious practices in the expanded universe literature.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the common religious and philosophical threads identified across the three examined fictional series.
Keywords
Dragonlance, His Dark Materials, Star Wars, Religion, Fantasy, Mythology, Gnosticism, Taoism, Cosmology, Creation Myth, Dust, The Force, Deconstruction, Philosophy, Dualism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The thesis explores the integration and deconstruction of religious concepts, myths, and philosophical systems within popular fantasy and science fiction series, specifically Dragonlance, His Dark Materials, and Star Wars.
Which series are analyzed as the central thematic pillars?
The work focuses on the Dragonlance novels by Weis and Hickman, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, and the Star Wars films and expanded literature created by George Lucas.
What is the primary goal of this research?
The primary goal is to examine how these authors utilize existing religious traditions—such as Greek mythology, Christian dogmas, and Taoism—to construct their own complex, fictional spiritual systems.
Which scientific or theoretical methods are applied?
The author uses literary analysis and comparative mythology, while also incorporating theories such as Ludwig Feuerbach’s projection theory and principles from quantum mechanics to interpret the narratives.
What are the primary topics covered in the main body of the text?
The chapters cover the divine hierarchies and creation stories of Krynn, the scientific and theological reinterpretation of original sin in Pullman's work, and the mystical, philosophical nature of the Force.
Which key terms best characterize this work?
Key terms include mythology, deconstruction, cosmology, divine pantheons, moral dualism, and the intersection of faith and science within fictional world-building.
How does the author analyze the film adaptations compared to the books?
The analysis includes sections dedicated to screen adaptations, such as the animated Dragon of Autumn Twilight and the film version of The Golden Compass, highlighting where cinematic storytelling simplifies or alters religious themes.
What specific theological perspective does Philip Pullman’s work introduce?
Pullman’s work is identified as a deconstructionist approach, which challenges traditional Christian narratives regarding the fall of mankind and redefines them through a humanistic and scientific lens.
How is the concept of the "Force" in Star Wars categorized?
The Force is analyzed as a religious fantasy element that draws parallels to magical systems in other series while being heavily influenced by Taoist principles of balance and all-encompassing energy.
What significance does numerology hold in the context of Dragonlance?
Numerology, particularly the significance of the numbers two, three, and twenty-one, is used to explain the structural organization of the gods and the cosmic balance of the Krynn universe.
- Quote paper
- Nadine Wolf (Author), 2008, Religious Concepts in Fantasy Literature, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/153837
