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Nostalgia for Pre-Modern Times in Fantasy Fiction by Tolkien, Jordan and Martin? Selected Forms and Functions

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Nostalgia for Pre-Modern Times in Fantasy Fiction by Tolkien, Jordan and Martin? Selected Forms and Functions Nostalgia for Pre-Modern Times in Fantasy Fiction by Tolkien, Jordan and Martin? Selected Forms and Functions M a s t e r a r b e i t zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Master of Arts (MA) an der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz vorgelegt von David Jonathan Markus WEBER am Institut für Anglistik Begutachter o.Univ.-Prof. Mag.art. Dr.phil. Werner Wolf Graz, 2021 Acknowledgments First of all, I want to thank my supervisor, o.Univ.-Prof. Mag.art. Dr.phil. Werner Wolf, for not only accompanying me through most of my studies but also giving me enough freedom to choose a research topic I am passionate about, while at the same time providing extensive feedback at all times to guide me into the right direction. This gratitude extends from academic discussion to personal exchange on various topics of life in general. Second, my thanks go to all my loved ones, friends, teachers as well as study and working colleagues who have encouraged my studies and changed my view on life, to the ones that have come and left, but especially to the ones that have stayed throughout the years. I particularly want to thank my parents who supported me with every means at their disposal, also in academic discussion on my studies. Further spe- cial thanks go to my study colleague and close friend who proofread this thesis and exchanged academic views with me in our regular thesis talks. Without all of you this thesis would not have been possible; you are dear to my heart and – I am sure – will elicit plenty of nostalgia in the future. i TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................ i List of Abbreviations: ...................................................................................................... v Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 1 Trailblazers of Nostalgia, Fantasy and Function Theory ..................................... 5 1.1 Nostalgia: A Utopia in Past Time and Space ............................................................. 5 1.1.1 ‘The Good Old Days’ – How to Define a Sentiment for the Past .................. 5 1.1.2 Conditions for Nostalgic Thought and Emotion ............................................. 6 1.1.3 Nostalgia for Pre-Modernity, the Middle Ages or (Neo)Medievalism? ......... 7 1.1.4 Dangers of Nostalgia Analysis ....................................................................... 9 1.2 Fantasy: A Genre Resisting Narrow Categorisation ................................................ 10 1.2.1 Can the Impossible Be Defined? .................................................................. 10 1.2.2 From the Portal-Quest to the Liminal Mode of Fantasy ............................... 14 1.2.3 The What and When of Fantasy Fiction ....................................................... 15 1.2.4 Locating the Selected Texts within the Fantasy Model ................................ 16 1.3 Function Theory and History .................................................................................... 18 1.3.1 What Are Possible Effects or Functions of Literature? ................................ 18 1.3.2 Functional Histories – Between Intention, Function Potential, Reception and the Historical Function of Literature .......................................................................... 20 2 Overall Text Introduction – Structure and Fantasy Modes ............................... 23 2.1 From Wrongness to Healing? The Structure of LR, WT and SIF ............................. 23 2.2 Between Portal-Quest, Immersion, Intrusion and the Liminal – Tolkien, Jordan and Martin Challenging the Modes-of-Fantasy Model ............................................ 25 3 Nostalgia through Intertextuality, the Supernatural and the Implied World View – LR revitalising Pre-Modernity .................................................................. 27 3.1 Intertextual System Reference in Tolkien’s Fantasy Fiction: Selected Elements of Medieval Romance, Song and Poetry ...................................................................... 27 3.1.1 Fantasy Fiction as Structural Romance – Episodic Organisation and Interlacement in LR ..................................................................................................... 28 3.1.2 Romance Character Construction in Tolkien’s Text – Primacy of the Nobility, The Fair Unknown and Ideals of Chivalry ................................................................. 30 3.1.3 ‘Resting at the Bonfire’ – Intertextual System Reference to Medieval Song and Poetry in LR ......................................................................................................... 33 ii 3.2 Veil of Mystery: The Representation of the Supernatural and Magic in Tolkien’s Work ......................................................................................................................... 35 3.2.1 Preliminary Remarks on the Supernatural, Magic, the Fantastic and the Impossible ................................................................................................................... 35 3.2.2 From the Istari over Ents to a Ring of Invisibility – The Supernatural and Magic in LR ................................................................................................................ 37 3.3 ‘Eucatastrophe’: The Implied World View as an Intensification of Nostalgia in LR ................................................................................................................................ 41 4 Undercurrents of and Deviations from Nostalgia in WT – Intertextuality, the Supernatural and the Implied World View ......................................................... 47 4.1 Intertextuality in Jordan’s Fantasy Series: Selected Elements of Medieval Romance, Anti-Romance, Song and Poetry ............................................................. 47 4.1.1 Episodic Organisation and Interlacement as Characteristics of Romance Structure in WT ........................................................................................................... 47 4.1.2 Romance and Anti-Romance Character Construction in Jordan’s Fantasy Fiction – Primacy of the Nobility, The Fair Unknown and Ideals of Chivalry .......... 48 4.1.3 Intertextuality as Celebration of Medieval Song and Poetry in WT ............. 50 4.2 The Veil is Lifted: The Representation of the Supernatural and Magic in Jordan’s Series ........................................................................................................................ 50 4.2.1 The Transparent Magic System in WT ......................................................... 50 4.2.2 Of Walking Trees, Animal People and Giants – Jordan’s Supernatural Characters ................................................................................................................... 53 4.3 Circular Time: WT’s Implied World View as a Reduction of its Nostalgic Implications .............................................................................................................. 55 5 SIF Deconstructing Nostalgia through Intertextuality, the Supernatural and the Implied World View? ....................................................................................... 60 5.1 Intertextual System Reference in Martin’s Fantasy Novels: Selected Elements of Medieval Romance, Anti-Romance, Song and Poetry ............................................. 60 5.1.1 Romance Structure – Episodic Organisation and Interlacement in SIF ....... 60 5.1.2 Romance and Anti-Romance Character Construction in SIF – Primacy of the Nobility, The Fair Unknown and Ideals of Chivalry .................................................. 64 5.1.3 Martin’s Series evoking the Intertextual System of Medieval Songs and Poetry ...................................................................................................................... 70 iii 5.2 The Mysteries of ‘Occult and Blood Magic’: The Representation of the Supernatural and Magic in SIF ................................................................................. 73 5.2.1 The High Price of Magic in Martin’s World ................................................ 73 5.2.2 The Supernatural in Fantasy as the Satisfaction of a Modern Loss and Childhood Dreams ...................................................................................................... 75 5.3 ‘Winter is Coming’: A Final Catastrophe Completing the Deconstruction of Nostalgia in Martin’s Text? ...................................................................................... 77 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 83 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 87 Primary Sources ............................................................................................................... 87 Secondary Sources ........................................................................................................... 88 iv List of Abbreviations: EW The Eye of the World FR The Fellowship of the Ring GT A Game of Thrones LR The Lord of the Rings SIF A Song of Ice and Fire WT The Wheel of Time v Introduction ‘Then tell us some other tale of the old days, […] a tale about Elves before the fading time.’ – Sam (Tolkien. The Fellowship of the Rings: 250) ‘Perhaps I also dwell too much on what is gone.
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