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Sword and sorcery (S&S) is a fantasy subgenre generally characterized by swashbuckling heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of the supernatural.

The subgenre has old roots. Ultimately—like much fantasy—it draws from mythology and Classical epics such as Homer's Odyssey and the Norse sagas, but its immediate progenitors are the swashbuckling tales of Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers (1844), etc.) and Rafael Sabatini (e.g., Scaramouche (1921), itself rooted in the Italian commedia dell'arte) - although these all lack the supernatural element - and early fantasy fiction such as E. R. Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros (1922) and Lord Dunsany's "The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth" (1910). In addition, many early S&S writers, such as Robert E Howard and Clark Ashton Smith, were heavily influenced by the Middle Eastern tales of the Arabian Nights, whose stories of magical monsters and evil sorcerers were a major influence on the genre to be. But S&S proper only truly began in the pulp fantasy magazines, most notably Weird Tales.

Defining S&S

The term was first coined in 1961 when the British author Michael Moorcock published a letter in the fanzine Amra, demanding a name for the sort of fantasy-adventure story written by Robert E. Howard, He had initially proposed the term "epic fantasy". However, the celebrated American S&S author Fritz Leiber replied in the journal Ancalagon (6 April 1961) suggesting "sword-and-sorcery as a good popular catchphrase for the field". He expanded on this in the July 1961 issue of Amra, commenting:

"I feel more certain than ever that this field should be called the sword-and-sorcery story. This accurately describes the points of culture-level and supernatural element and also immediately distinguishes it from the cloak-and-sword (historical adventure) story—and (quite incidentally) from the cloak-and-dagger (international espionage) story too!" (Fritz Leiber, Amra, July 1961)

Despite such authors' best efforts, Sword-and-sorcery came to be known more frequently as a catch-all phrase for low grade, derivative fantasy such as that that played a seminal role in influencing Dungeons & Dragons and other fantasy role-playing games, as well as fiction which was written in such universes. During the 1980s, influenced by the success of the 1982 feature film Conan the Barbarian many cheaply made fantasy films were released that came to be derisively known as "Sword & Sorcery". Up until quite recently, the term was an oft used derogatory slur amongst writers and readers of the fantasy genre. In recent times, magazines such as Black Gate and Flashing Swords have been attempting to revive the genre to the status which it enjoyed during the pulp era of the twenties and thirties.

Since its inception, many attempts have been made over the years to redefine precisely what constitutes sword and sorcery as a clearcut sub-genre. Although many debate the finer points, the general consensus is that S&S is characterized by a strong bias toward fast-paced, action-rich tales set within a quasi-mythical or fantastical framework. Unlike high or epic fantasy, the stakes tend to be personal, the danger confined to the moment of telling.

Many sword and sorcery tales have turned into lengthy series of adventures. Their lower stakes and less than world-threatening dangers make this more plausible than repetition of the perils of epic fantasy. So does the nature of the heroes; most sword-and-sorcery protagonists find peace after adventure deathly dull.

Seminal S&S

Seminal S&S books and series include:

Other pulp fantasy fiction - such as Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series and Leigh Brackett's Sea Kings of Mars - have a similar feel to S&S, but, because alien science replaces the supernatural, it is usually described as science fantasy or Sword and Planet.

S&S Heroines

Despite the early work of C. L. Moore and others, S&S has had a strongly masculine bias. Female characters were generally distressed damsels to be rescued or protected. Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress anthology series (1984 onwards) attempted to redress the balance. Bradley encouraged female writers and protagonists: the stories feature skillful swordswomen and powerful sorceresses. The series was immensely popular and Bradley was editing the final volume at the time of her death. Today, active female characters who participate equally with the male heroes in the stories are a regular feature in modern S&S stories, though they are also relied upon for sex appeal.

Introduced as a minor character in a non-fantasy historical story by Robert E. Howard, "The Shadow of the Vulture," Red Sonya of Rogatine would later inspire a fantasy heroine named Red Sonja, who first appeared in the comic book series Conan the Barbarian written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Barry Windsor-Smith. Red Sonja received her own comic book title and eventually a series of novels by David C. Smith and Richard Tierney, as well as an unsuccessful film, Red Sonja (1985), directed by Richard Fleischer. A popular misconception (which even extends to the credits of the movie) holds that Robert E. Howard invented the character of Red Sonja in a Conan story.

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Fantasy genres

Меч и магия | Miekka ja magia (kirjallisuus) | Sword and sorcery | 劍與魔法

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Sword and sorcery".

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