THE TYPOLOGY OF FANTASY GENRES IN MODERN LITERATURE

Fantasy literature represents one of the most dynamic and diversified literary systems in modern literary studies. This article provides a comprehensive theoretical and typological analysis of major fantasy genres, examining their historical evolution, structural characteristics, aesthetic principles, narrative strategies, and ideological functions. The study systematizes high fantasy, low fantasy, portal fantasy, urban fantasy, dark fantasy, magical realism, science fantasy, heroic fantasy, children’s fantasy, and absurdist fantasy as interconnected yet distinct subgenres. Particular attention is devoted to world-building models, mythopoetic structures, narrative voice, symbolic systems, genre hybridity, and sociocultural context. The research demonstrates that fantasy is not a homogeneous genre but a complex literary field reflecting philosophical, psychological, and historical transformations.