Magic and Means of Its Expression in Literature of Fantasy Genre

Abstract

Background. The relevance of the research topic is due to the growing popularity of the fantasy genre and the insufficient study of the issue of systematizing the means of expressing the magical in fiction.
 Purpose. The purpose of the article is to define the essence of the magical, to reveal its cognitive features and means of expression.
 Materials and methods. The practical material for the study was the texts of works of the fantasy genre fiction: Wolfhound by M. Semenova, The Mage of Midnight by D. Yemets, Temple of the Winds by T. Goodkind, The Chronicles of Amber by R. Zelazny, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. The following methods of scientific research were used in the work: analysis of scientific literature, the method of continuous sampling, the descriptive method, comparative and statistical methods.
 Results. It is determined that the essence of the magical lies in the totality of the concepts of mysticism, fiction, magic, in the impact of supernatural forces on people, animals, nature, as well as on imaginary spirits and gods. Such cognitive features as invisibility for a person, mystery, close connection with faith and science were identified. The study revealed the means of expressing the magical, mainly lexical and stylistic level: linguistic markers, artistic detail. The identified means of expressing the magical are illustrated by examples from fantasy novels in Russian and English. Linguistic markers are represented by magical semiotics (magic agents, creatures and animals that have magic), and magical verbalics (processives). Artistic detail plays an indispensable role in various “magic” descriptions of magical artifacts, unusual animals, magical buildings and objects with unusual properties.
 Practical implications. The results of the study can be used in the further study of the magical, the means of its expression in other literary works of the fantasy genre, as well as in stylistics classes for students of the Foreign Philology training profile.