![]() Whilst crafting a hero who is understandable and, by extension, sympathetic, is crucial, a fantasy hero is by no means bound to a strict ethical code of conduct. However, it doesn’t have to be the case that the hero acts as the story’s moral epicentre. Whilst not all fantasy stories stick exclusively to this idea, this archetype is useful in illustrating how integral the hero is to the story’s structure: if we don’t root for them and their mission, then the story falls flat on its face.Īlthough the hero is committed to resolving the story’s conflict, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the case that they choose the role that they have been given: some might relish their role as a hero in the traditional warrior sense, whilst others might find themselves an altogether more reluctant protagonist. Although fantasy heroes can look, sound, and act very differently from one another, it is helpful to think of them as the kind of engine driver of the story.įor theorists like Joseph Campbell, who outlined the narrative archetype of The Hero’s Journey, the fantasy story structure can be boiled down to these basic elements: the hero goes on an adventure, learns a lesson with newfound knowledge, and then returns home transformed. This is our main character, the one whose perspective we chiefly follow, and the figure whose primary role is to resolve the conflict that is driving the action of the story. Understandably, the most important character in every fantasy story is its main hero. ![]() Here is a list of ten of the most common types of fantasy characters. Types Of Fantasy Charactersįantasy stories are rife with memorable characters of all kinds. But characters tend to fall within certain groups/categories (each with their own tropes) that are important to consider in your own fantasy writing. Just as every story is different, so is every character. By understanding the role that your characters play within the wider story, this process of developing compelling characters will become less difficult. In that way, even if we cannot relate to their abilities or their otherworldliness, chances are that we can share in the motivations and emotions which drive them. As anyone who has ever stayed up crying about the fictional fate of their favourite fantasy character will tell you, a story’s power and resonance are only as strong as the reader’s emotional attachment to its characters.Īnd how do we achieve that emotional connection? By ensuring that our characters are fully fleshed out, three-dimensional characters, with their own motivations, flaws and emotions. If we don’t engage with, or even understand, the story’s characters, then we cease to care about what happens to them. Without that, the power of the central conflict is lost on us. Dealing as it does with faraway lands and high-risk stakes, fantasy characters have, in many ways, a more integral role within the story than most other literary genres we cannot necessarily relate to the fantasy setting, so we must be able to relate to the characters that exist within them.Īfter all, we can only come to believe in the story if we recognise something of ourselves or those around us within its characters. Fantasy ArchetypesĪlthough the word ‘fantasy’ frequently conjures up ideas of complex worldbuilding and intricate magic systems, it is the stories’ characters which are, ultimately, the lifeblood of every good fantasy novel. Within this, I will be exploring the ten most popular types of fantasy characters, their importance to the story, as well as some notable examples, in order to show you exactly how having a good grasp of character can strengthen your fantasy writing. In this article, I’ll be examining one of the most important fantasy literature conventions: the fantasy character. Although it is the job of the writer to ensure that their fantasy story does not become too predictable or formulaic, being able to break down and understand the tropes that make up your favourite stories can help make the process of writing your own fantasy books a lot more manageable. One of the best things to bear in mind when you do feel a little lost in your fantasy world is that a fantasy novel has, at its heart, a set of conventions. It can be exciting, absolutely, but it goes without saying that that endlessness can also make the process of writing your own fantasy novel quite daunting. Like Polly and Diggory in the first instalment of The Chronicles of Narnia, fantasy literature has constantly offered me a gateway to a whole new world of imaginative possibility. At least, that has always been my experience of the genre. Endless doors and avenues surround you, each one filled with its own rich cast of heroes, villains, creatures, and monsters. Sitting down to read or write a fantasy book feels a little like finding yourself in ‘The Wood Between Worlds’ in C.S.
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