Fantasy: between mass and elite culture

The purpose of the study is to explore the fantasy as a phenomenon of modern culture. In this regard have been tasked to find out to what extent the fantasy genre refers to the mass, and to what extent - to the elite culture. This study used historical, analytical and comparative methods. Fantasy genre is quite interesting study in modern science, but mostly specialists in literature. Unfortunately, there was no cultural studies. In addition, the study of the genre turn mainly foreign researchers. Scientific literature on the study of fantasy, in Russian a little, basically we have to consider the work that affected and, in varying degrees, to disclose certain problems in the theory and history of the genre. This is mainly research on fiction or general features of modern literature. A number of issues devoted to the study of mass and elite culture, considered in the Spanish philosopher Ortega X. y Gasset «De-humanization of Art». The study was based on analysis of the rich material of modern fantasy literature. Of the many works marked the most striking characteristic examples of the genre (its different modifications) by recognized and widely read authors. This fantasy writers such as John. R.R. Tolkien, William K. Le Guin, GL Aldie, N. Gaiman, T. Pratchett, R. Zelazny, A. and A. Sapkowski Pekhov. To date, fantasy one of the most popular genres, it is presented in a wide range - from mass culture to the elite. In many works, there are signs that allow to carry it to popular literature. Entertaining the fantasy genre, publicly available, some works of fantasy designed for passive perception and fantasy is commercial. On the other hand, there are examples of fantasy, in which there are features that are alien and even contradictory mass culture - the complication of language and meaning, craving for fine intellectual work, creative unpredictability. Such fantasy offer sophisticated cultural codes, rich associations, double meanings, subtle symbolism. These works focused on sophisticated reader, carry signs of elite culture. Such a compound mass and elite, in our opinion, due to the influence of modern culture trends.

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