Fantasygenrens kvinnoskildringar : Fördomar och möjligheter i den fantastiska litteraturen

In this essay a conclusion about the way female characters are portrayed in fantasy novels will be attempted through an analysis of one selected female character from each selected novel. The works that have been chosen are; J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Robert Jordan’s The Eye of the World and A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. The analysis will be done with the help of examples and theories from both feministic criticism and gender studies. During the course of the discussion the background of the fantasy genre and goal of the scientific theories will be explained.The fantasy genre in itself allows its authors a chance to criticize the norms of our society, freed from the restraints of realism. The findings of this essay however, imply that some fantasy authors forsake this chance in order to more accurately emulate the medieval European society or in fact actively reinforce patriarchal norms