HomeNon-violence in fantasy
Non-violence in fantasy
La non-violence en fantasy
Published on Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Abstract
In the realm of fantasy, violence often erupts in epic battles and the internal conflicts of protagonists, heightening the story’s intensity: threats, manipulations, oppressions, dark magic, rapes, fights, torture, and assassinations serve as catalysts to maintain narrative tension, show the complexity of characters, and explore the dark side of human nature. Yet, non-violence seems to meet this challenge with equal strength. Indeed, many heroes, guided by their compassion, wisdom, or moral integrity, choose non-violence to fight against injustice, inner turmoil, or evil. Proposals can explore non-violence in fantasy works from various angles (cinematographic, narratological, as well as cultural, sociological, etc.). They can study specific cases or offer global and/or comparative analyses.
Announcement
On 7-8 February 2025, from 14:00 to 18:00 CET, the association les Têtes Imaginaires (publisher of the journal Fantasy Art and Studies) will organize an online conference dealing with non-violence in Fantasy fiction.
Argument
In the realm of fantasy, violence often erupts in epic battles and the internal conflicts of protagonists, heightening the story’s intensity: threats, manipulations, oppressions, dark magic, rapes, fights, torture, and assassinations serve as catalysts to maintain narrative tension, show the complexity of characters, and explore the dark side of human nature.
Yet, non-violence seems to meet this challenge with equal strength. Indeed, many heroes, guided by their compassion, wisdom, or moral integrity, choose non-violence to fight against injustice, inner turmoil, or evil. Consider Hermione Granger in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter (1997-2007), who excels in protective magic and manages to defend her friends without resorting to violence; or Samwell Tarly, the well-read member of the Night's Watch in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire (1996-), who has an aversion to violence and uses his intelligence instead of his weapons. The choice of non-violence attests of the intellectual and moral superiority of the protagonists, transforming the nature of power, which is often mistakenly reduced to mere physical strength. In this sense, arming the hero with an arsenal of non-violent alternatives reveals the potential that lies within him—often despite his physical weaknesses—and grants him greater psychological depth. Thus, the wizard Ged in Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series learns in the course of his adventures that true power lies in understanding and being in harmony with the world, rather than in using magic for destructive purposes: he realizes that the Shadow pursuing him has always been part of him.
For other characters, the refusal of violence is a way to stand up against a predetermined destiny as a warrior: in Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time (1990-), Perrin Aybara restrains his exceptional strength and bestial instincts to be a man of peace. He thus embodies the inner turmoil of the hero who, despite his great powers, seeks to reinvent himself through non-violence, as someone morally better. Attitude, philosophy, and way of life, non-violence crystallizes the hero’s character and paradoxically contributes to his valour. The same goes for the Hobbit Frodo Baggins, who must destroy the One Ring in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955): indeed, the innate goodness of the little hero confronts him with a dilemma—remain faithful to his moral principles at all costs, or use violence in the name of Good? This inner conflict, typical of the fantasy hero who chooses non-violence, appears as a trial, even a rite of passage: by reconciling his values with the demands of war and moral duties, the non-violent hero demonstrates greatness (of soul). The message of peace is also conveyed in Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films: in Princess Mononoke (1997) the male protagonist, Ashitaka, must view the world without violence and hatred if he wants to be freed from the curse consuming him.
Sometimes, the fantasy hero can no longer rely solely on strategic exchanges, intelligence, mercy, or non-violent protection. For instance, Aslan, the lion in C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia (1950-1956), sacrifices his own life in exchange for Edmund’s to defeat the White Witch without engaging in battle. By doing so, he demonstrates that sacrifice remains the ultimate weapon against Evil. In Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher, the hero Geralt tries for a time to hang up his sword and refrain from using violence as a means of action; however, he is called back to combat by a pogrom that ultimately costs him his life.
Proposals can explore non-violence in fantasy works from various angles (cinematographic, narratological, as well as cultural, sociological, etc.). They can study specific cases or offer global and/or comparative analyses. They will consider the question of non-violence in fantasy in all its complexity and can address, but are not limited to, the following research axes:
- the forms of non-violence (resistance, defence, protection, reconciliation, forgiveness, arts of diplomacy, negotiation, cunning, etc.) in the fight against Evil,
- the effectiveness of non-violence in conflict resolution, the weaknesses and strengths of non-violence,
- the portrayal of the non-violent character, their moral stance,
- the initiatory dimension of non-violence, the evolution of the non-violent character, the impact of non-violence on the narrative/plot and resolution,
- messages of tolerance and peace conveyed by non-violent characters.
The online conference will take place in the afternoons of Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8, 2025. Proposals from early-career researchers are particularly welcome.
Papers from the online conference will be published in the 18th issue of the journal Fantasy Art and Studies.
Submission guidelines
Proposals for papers (.doc or .docx), in French or English, of approximately 2,000 characters, should clearly present a research question, a theoretical and methodological framework, and the main axes of analysis. They should be accompanied by a short biobibliographical presentation and sent to fantasyartandstudies@outlook.com
by October 31, 2024.
Academic comittee
- Viviane Bergue, PhD in Comparative Literature, editor of Fantasy Art and Studies
- Justine Breton, Lecturer in Comparative Literature, University of Lorraine
- Samuel Lévêque, independent scholar and coordinator of the Institute Natura e Teoria Pireneus
- Sabrina Lusuriello, PhD in French Literature, University Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3
- Florie Maurin, PhD in French Literature, associate member of CELIS, University Clermont Auvergne
- Siegfried Würtz, University of Bourgogne
Subjects
- Language (Main category)
- Mind and language > Language > Literature
Event attendance modalities
Full online event
Date(s)
- Thursday, October 31, 2024
Keywords
- fantasy, non-violence, fiction, littérature, cinema, series, jeux video
Contact(s)
- Viviane Bergue
courriel : fantasyartandstudies [at] outlook [dot] com
Reference Urls
Information source
- Viviane Bergue
courriel : fantasyartandstudies [at] outlook [dot] com
License
This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons - Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0 .
To cite this announcement
Sabrina Lusuriello, « Non-violence in fantasy », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, https://doi.org/10.58079/12b5o
