THIS IS A PERSONIFICATION AND SIMPLIFICATION OF THE COMMON SUBGENRES OF FANTASY PLEASE STOP ASKING ABOUT ELVES
Many people seem to have struggles differentiating different types of fantasy for each other. If I asked you what was the difference between Low Fantasy and High Fantasy, what would you say?
So, allow me to differentiate them for you using one of the quintessential fantasy creatures: the elf. Allow me to introduce the High Elf, Low Elf, Old Elf, and Dark Elf.
The High Elf would be a representation of high fantasy. Originating with Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings, the high elves are quite magical and elegant with long histories. These are the types of elves you'd see in a world with goblins and dwarves along with humans, the type to wield staves and wear long flowing robes. In short, high fantasy is the genre based off of the works of Tolkien and his almost optimistic and iconic worlds and is the most common type of fantasy you'd see.
Next are the Low Elves. Low elves are rather similar in appearance to mankind and typically need to hide their magical and elvish nature and are the most recently born of these elves. In short, Low Fantasy is where magic is hidden from the typically modern world. Popular examples are Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and are the most accessible to people considering they take place in a world that is ours.
Next, Old Elves- also known as the Fairytale Elf. These are the elves that were born before the high elves and are seldom born nowadays. They are typically short and rather simple creatures and are most seen in whimsical realms far far away or at the beds of children, ready to entertain.
And last the Dark Elves. Dark Elves are creatures derived from the High Elves and look quite similar, but typically are not as grand, elegant or optimistic as the High Elves. They descend from the mind of George Martin and are based primarily off of his works. Famous Dark Fantasies are Game of Thrones, Dark Souls, and Elden Ring.
Now, I hope you now know the difference, even if you aren't a major fantasy enjoyer!
Many people seem to have struggles differentiating different types of fantasy for each other. If I asked you what was the difference between Low Fantasy and High Fantasy, what would you say?
So, allow me to differentiate them for you using one of the quintessential fantasy creatures: the elf. Allow me to introduce the High Elf, Low Elf, Old Elf, and Dark Elf.
The High Elf would be a representation of high fantasy. Originating with Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings, the high elves are quite magical and elegant with long histories. These are the types of elves you'd see in a world with goblins and dwarves along with humans, the type to wield staves and wear long flowing robes. In short, high fantasy is the genre based off of the works of Tolkien and his almost optimistic and iconic worlds and is the most common type of fantasy you'd see.
Next are the Low Elves. Low elves are rather similar in appearance to mankind and typically need to hide their magical and elvish nature and are the most recently born of these elves. In short, Low Fantasy is where magic is hidden from the typically modern world. Popular examples are Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and are the most accessible to people considering they take place in a world that is ours.
Next, Old Elves- also known as the Fairytale Elf. These are the elves that were born before the high elves and are seldom born nowadays. They are typically short and rather simple creatures and are most seen in whimsical realms far far away or at the beds of children, ready to entertain.
And last the Dark Elves. Dark Elves are creatures derived from the High Elves and look quite similar, but typically are not as grand, elegant or optimistic as the High Elves. They descend from the mind of George Martin and are based primarily off of his works. Famous Dark Fantasies are Game of Thrones, Dark Souls, and Elden Ring.
Now, I hope you now know the difference, even if you aren't a major fantasy enjoyer!
Is this a consistent throughout all of fiction/fantasy, or just some examples?
SoulHeart57 wrote:
Is this a consistent throughout all of fiction/fantasy, or just some examples?
This is the use of elves as a metaphor for the subgenres of fantasy, not an actual list of elves themself. Every work likely has a different definition for an elf or their subtypes, so no.
For example, the Aeldari in "Warhammer 40,000" draw a lot from the High Elves.
Interesting informations for players like me, not very well educated in fantasy themes.
'Elf' of course isn't meant to be that known Elf, but another word for person or creature executing magics (elf, sorcerer, unicorn...).
All known magical creatures generated to life by the crayon of Walt Disney, for example, (Tinker Bell, Peter Pan,...) are Old Elves, issued from fairytales.
Thanks a lot for explaining basics of fantasy, this is raw land for me
Lizbeth
'Elf' of course isn't meant to be that known Elf, but another word for person or creature executing magics (elf, sorcerer, unicorn...).
All known magical creatures generated to life by the crayon of Walt Disney, for example, (Tinker Bell, Peter Pan,...) are Old Elves, issued from fairytales.
Thanks a lot for explaining basics of fantasy, this is raw land for me
Lizbeth
No, the elves are meant to be the genres themselves and not the creatures within, and I named them all off of their respective subgenres. The old elves for example are meant to represent pre-tolkien fantasy, also known as old fantasy.
Those fantasy creatures would then be known as old fantasy creatures or fairytale characters.
Those fantasy creatures would then be known as old fantasy creatures or fairytale characters.
Jooters wrote:
No, the elves are meant to be the genres themselves and not the creatures within, and I named them all off of their respective subgenres. The old elves for example are meant to represent pre-tolkien fantasy, also known as old fantasy.
Those fantasy creatures would then be known as old fantasy creatures or fairytale characters.
Those fantasy creatures would then be known as old fantasy creatures or fairytale characters.
Oops, silly doe again, got that completely wrong, please excuse me. But I see the point that the Tolkien's works are a crucial point in fantasy.
Why Tolkien ? Is it like in science fiction the work 'Dune' is seen as a crucial point of writing and describing alien worlds ?
Well, Tolkien created the genre of High Fantasy, which is the most popular form of fantasy to write and what most other fantasy genres are based on. Before Tokien, fantasy was pretty much only fairytales and bed time stories or just over all children oriented and didnt have set definitions for what things are. Tolkien then wanted to standardize fantasy creatures from all around the world. Previous to his works, elves had a different definition for each country telling the tale. In one they can be small forest spirits that sing to something more malicious and reminiscent to the modern goblin or troll.
So, in a way, yes, but it's more like modern fantasy itself and our ideas of it originate with Tolkien, some traits of which were further deepened by George Martin and surrounding influential authors.
So, in a way, yes, but it's more like modern fantasy itself and our ideas of it originate with Tolkien, some traits of which were further deepened by George Martin and surrounding influential authors.
I think this is a very good lesson for all those that aren’t so deep into the fantasy genre. It helps me understand more things.
I like fantasy, I like good written stories that unite reality and fiction with a built surrounding. And I’m mesmerized by dragons, but that’s not the point in this post.
Thank you Jooters
I hope speaking in the name of a lot of furries, anthros, elven and humans
Lizbeth
I like fantasy, I like good written stories that unite reality and fiction with a built surrounding. And I’m mesmerized by dragons, but that’s not the point in this post.
Thank you Jooters
I hope speaking in the name of a lot of furries, anthros, elven and humans
Lizbeth
You forgot the Warhammer Elves as in the Asur, Druchii, Aeldari and Drukhari. I think Warhammer's contribution to elven lore particularly with portraying them as gracile and beautiful beings of fable is significant and I always use this image to exemplify my point of how Warhammer Elves differ from the typical fantasy trope.
The Asur (High Elves) are riding Lion-Chariots, that is chariots pulled by gigantic white lions from Chrace, wielding massive battle axes against a Druchii (Dark Elves) host and the Druchii field saurian cavalry, that is literal knights with glaive spears riding massive tamed carnosaurs.
Therefore for me, personally, The Warhammer Elves deserve their own distinction and special mention.
The Asur (High Elves) are riding Lion-Chariots, that is chariots pulled by gigantic white lions from Chrace, wielding massive battle axes against a Druchii (Dark Elves) host and the Druchii field saurian cavalry, that is literal knights with glaive spears riding massive tamed carnosaurs.
Therefore for me, personally, The Warhammer Elves deserve their own distinction and special mention.
Kael'anar Rhavarys wrote:
You forgot the Warhammer Elves as in the Asur, Druchii, Aeldari and Drukhari. I think Warhammer's contribution to elven lore particularly with portraying them as gracile and beautiful beings of fable is significant and I always use this image to exemplify my point of how Warhammer Elves differ from the typical fantasy trope.
The Asur (High Elves) are riding Lion-Chariots, that is chariots pulled by gigantic white lions from Chrace, wielding massive battle axes against a Druchii (Dark Elves) host and the Druchii field saurian cavalry, that is literal knights with glaive spears riding massive tamed carnosaurs.
Therefore for me, personally, The Warhammer Elves deserve their own distinction and special mention.
The Asur (High Elves) are riding Lion-Chariots, that is chariots pulled by gigantic white lions from Chrace, wielding massive battle axes against a Druchii (Dark Elves) host and the Druchii field saurian cavalry, that is literal knights with glaive spears riding massive tamed carnosaurs.
Therefore for me, personally, The Warhammer Elves deserve their own distinction and special mention.
Again, this isn't meant to be a list of elves, it is meant to be a simplification and personification of fantasy subgenres.
Dear Jooters,
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but here I think you are not personifying Elves, it’s a classification.
Class : Elf (you choose Elf as the personification of that class)
Genre : High-, Low-, Old- and Dark (as seen in the Tolkien works and other George Martin)
Sub genres within those four different genres like the Warhammer Elf, or the Druchii or all those from that non exhaustive list of different Elves.
I suppose other ‘classes’ would be :
Divine, immortal gods
Elf, more or less mortal magical creatures, more or less bound to physical laws
Humans, mortal and bound to physics
Animals in all their colors and forms
Some other class might be Alien, more or less bound to physical laws but non-human
Or plants.
I speak here about physical laws, as nature and nature’s laws are tricky.
Interaction between those classes would lead to half-gods, half-elven or anthro-animals like furries. As for example some Elf was needed with magical power to generate something like Lizbeth
If this isn’t clarified, you’ll get a lot of answers demanding this or that elf to claim its place in these genres
Very kindly Lizbeth
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but here I think you are not personifying Elves, it’s a classification.
Class : Elf (you choose Elf as the personification of that class)
Genre : High-, Low-, Old- and Dark (as seen in the Tolkien works and other George Martin)
Sub genres within those four different genres like the Warhammer Elf, or the Druchii or all those from that non exhaustive list of different Elves.
I suppose other ‘classes’ would be :
Divine, immortal gods
Elf, more or less mortal magical creatures, more or less bound to physical laws
Humans, mortal and bound to physics
Animals in all their colors and forms
Some other class might be Alien, more or less bound to physical laws but non-human
Or plants.
I speak here about physical laws, as nature and nature’s laws are tricky.
Interaction between those classes would lead to half-gods, half-elven or anthro-animals like furries. As for example some Elf was needed with magical power to generate something like Lizbeth
If this isn’t clarified, you’ll get a lot of answers demanding this or that elf to claim its place in these genres
Very kindly Lizbeth
Lizbeth Redwood wrote:
Dear Jooters,
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but here I think you are not personifying Elves, it’s a classification.
Class : Elf (you choose Elf as the personification of that class)
Genre : High-, Low-, Old- and Dark (as seen in the Tolkien works and other George Martin)
Sub genres within those four different genres like the Warhammer Elf, or the Druchii or all those from that non exhaustive list of different Elves.
I suppose other ‘classes’ would be :
Divine, immortal gods
Elf, more or less mortal magical creatures, more or less bound to physical laws
Humans, mortal and bound to physics
Animals in all their colors and forms
Some other class might be Alien, more or less bound to physical laws but non-human
Or plants.
I speak here about physical laws, as nature and nature’s laws are tricky.
Interaction between those classes would lead to half-gods, half-elven or anthro-animals like furries. As for example some Elf was needed with magical power to generate something like Lizbeth
If this isn’t clarified, you’ll get a lot of answers demanding this or that elf to claim its place in these genres
Very kindly Lizbeth
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but here I think you are not personifying Elves, it’s a classification.
Class : Elf (you choose Elf as the personification of that class)
Genre : High-, Low-, Old- and Dark (as seen in the Tolkien works and other George Martin)
Sub genres within those four different genres like the Warhammer Elf, or the Druchii or all those from that non exhaustive list of different Elves.
I suppose other ‘classes’ would be :
Divine, immortal gods
Elf, more or less mortal magical creatures, more or less bound to physical laws
Humans, mortal and bound to physics
Animals in all their colors and forms
Some other class might be Alien, more or less bound to physical laws but non-human
Or plants.
I speak here about physical laws, as nature and nature’s laws are tricky.
Interaction between those classes would lead to half-gods, half-elven or anthro-animals like furries. As for example some Elf was needed with magical power to generate something like Lizbeth
If this isn’t clarified, you’ll get a lot of answers demanding this or that elf to claim its place in these genres
Very kindly Lizbeth
For the last time, this has nothing to do with elves, I chose them as the personification of the different fantasy subgenres because they're common and able to be easily modified while remaining elves. This is not a classification or list of them, this is a summarization of common fantasy subgenres.
I have added a disclaimer to my post as this is beginning to get frustrating
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