Some 'time ago closed the discussion on the short story that I started, The paths of the fairies, because I had decided to postpone the submission. In fact, the main reason related to the inadequacy of the main character, Hama, the hero of the story. A modest innkeeper who falls for a fairy, and writes once grown old in their history. Nothing complicated, very simple. Too simple.
Here we reach the point I'm about to introduce the topic: what is the right fantasy hero? It seems easy to answer, but it is not at all. I myself for some time, I racked my brains over this question, having sensed that Hama innkeeper could not be a good hero for my story. Not I understood why, but I struggled to run the story through his actions. Go ahead with the story was a heavy burden, as I was fond of history. Angra not until my friend made me reflect on the fact that in recent times almost all the heroes are anti-heroes in the fantasy Frodo Baggins and Eragon, which reeks of stale. True, but for me the real issue here is another one: the evolution fantasy hero.
This trend seems to have happened under our nose and is set in an almost unconscious in our minds. The model of the hero is changed along the way we relate to the models. An example?
the time of Tolkien was popular with the Sword and Sorcery hero macho and manly, the knight nor fear. Then came Frodo, the humble and without any exceptional quality, and everything changed. Season begins dell'antieroe modest and unaware of his destiny, which reluctantly accepts the mission. We are still in the fantasy genre classic sides that are fighting are well laid out, the good vs. evil conflict is central to the narratives. Perhaps a spiegaizone could also be that at that time, the early twentieth century and after World War II, there had been two wars.
But on the other side of the fantasy here is another kind of hero rise to the decadent anti-hero, perhaps of noble lineage but unmotivated and worthless. An example is given by Elric of Melnibone, albino king created by Michael Moorcock, who hints at many kings and knights of mold Tolken. These two anti-heroes, the humble hero and the hero victim of events, however, represent two sides of same coin. Both are the symbol of a worldview in conflict with the principles of the time. Not by chance are based on previous stereotypes, born in similar historical and social conditions. The hero Frodo recalls the style of the age courteous knight, the noble heart, as well as many of the issues addressed by the 900 High Fantasy wink closely to the cycles Arthurian and chivalric.
contrast, anti-hero Elric style is inspired by certain characters in the greek-roman tragedy, I think of the characters of Lucan's Pharsalia, but also by the hero cursed and damned expensive to decadence.
On these two lines continue to move end 900 of the authors and early 2000. The vampires of Anne Rice are the perfect portrait Aesthete to Dorian Gray, the characters crater GRR Martin is a cross between the greek tragic hero and the virile warrior Conan the Barbarian. In the literature of plant fable, not only for children but, taking hold heroes hybrid, halfway between the knight and the old-boy simpleton. One of these Tristan Stardust. Of medieval legends there it all: the quest, the conquest of a lady, the clash between good and evil and the happy ending. Yet, just enter as a heroine and a shooting star the love story between a mortal and immortal already dear to the ancient stories to give the story an authentic flavor.
In other cases there is rather exasperating repetition of old heroes and restated in modern salsa. Troisiana is why the heroine, a prototype of the woman warrior, a modern take on the characteristics of the adolescent. With what results? Rather inconsistent, I guess. The same is true of many fantasy written by teenagers. Both the Bryan Federico Ghirardi that Lyannen Strazzulla of you notice the remarkable modernity of the characters, the last case in stark contrast to the false aura of ancient hero. The problem is that if the new hero may very well be seen as a teenager, this does not imply that the hero will be convincing.
Yet the new heroes like more than the old ones. What is a "deepening" or a clumsy copy, the modern reader does not seem to recognize the heroes more than once, those who have written the history of fantasy. From writer and reader I understand this feeling, which by the way I tried it too, and I can not stop loving the antique models. But I also realize, with relief, that everything evolved from a primordial form. For better or worse, the new heroes bring to light in a different way certain characteristics of those veterans they are inspired. This then generates triviality or originality, depends on the writer.
