Anarchopedia - User contributions [en]

User:Sarahgal

2006-04-06T01:29:36Z

Sarahgal:

Sarahgal is cool.
She made these pages:
*[[harry potter]]
*[[fantasy]]
*[[genre]]
*[[art]]

All of these she "borrowed" from wikipedia. Dum de dum dum ...

User:Sarahgal

2006-04-06T01:29:26Z

Sarahgal:

Sarahgal is cool.
She made these pages:
*[[harry Potter]]
*[[fantasy]]
*[[genre]]
*[[art]]

All of these she "borrowed" from wikipedia. Dum de dum dum ...

User:Sarahgal

2006-04-06T01:29:07Z

Sarahgal:

Sarahgal is cool.
She made these pages:
*[[Harry Potter]]
*[[Fantasy]]
*[[Genre]]
*[[Art]]

All of these she "borrowed" from wikipedia. Dum de dum dum ...

User:Sarahgal

2006-04-06T01:28:32Z

Sarahgal:

Sarahgal is cool.
She made these pages:
Harry Potter
Fantasy
Genre
Art

All of these she "borrowed" from wikipedia. Dum de dum dum ...

art

2006-04-06T01:28:00Z

Sarahgal:

[[Image:Wenuszmf.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Venus de Milo]] exhibited in the [[Louvre]] museum, [[France]].]]
By its original and broadest definition, '''''[[art]]''''' (from the [[Latin]] ''ars'', meaning "skill" or "craft") is the product or process of the effective application of a body of knowledge, most often using a set of skills; this meaning is preserved in such phrases as "[[liberal arts]]" and "[[martial arts]]". However, in the modern use of the word, which rose to prominence during the [[Renaissance]], ''art'' is commonly understood to be the process or result of making material works (or '''artwork''') which, from concept to creation, adhere to the "[[creativity|creative]] impulse"—that is, art is distinguished from other works by being in large part unprompted by necessity, by biological drive, or by any undisciplined pursuit of [[recreation]]. By both definitions of the word, artistic works have existed for almost as long as [[human]]kind, from early [[pre-historic art]] to [[contemporary art]].

The '''creative arts''' are a collection of disciplines whose principal purpose is in the output of material that is compelled by a personal drive and echoes or reflects a message, mood, and [[symbolism]] for the viewer to interpret. As such, the term ''art'' may be taken to include forms as diverse as [[prose]] [[writing]], [[poetry]], [[dance]], [[acting]], [[music]], [[sculpture]] and [[painting]]. In addition to serving as a method of pure creativity and self-expression, the purpose of works of art may be to communicate ideas, such as in politically-, religiously-, and philosophically-motivated art, to create a sense of [[beauty]] (see ''[[aesthetics]]'' and ''[[fine art]]'') or pleasure, or to generate strong [[emotion]]s; the purpose may also be seemingly nonexistent.

As a form of [[culture|cultural]] expression, art may be defined by the pursuit of [[diversity]] and the usage of [[narrative]]s of liberation and exploration (i.e. [[art history]], [[art criticism]], and [[art theory]]) to mediate its boundaries. This distinction may be applied to objects or performances, current or historical, and its prestige extends to those who made, found, exhibit, or own them. Other than originality, there are no widely agreed-upon criteria for what is or isn't considered "art", and there are many divergent definitions of ''art'' to seek more specific requirements.

==Etymology==
The word ''art'' derives from the [[Latin]] ''ars'', which roughly translates to "skill" or "craft", and derives in turn from an [[Proto-Indo-European language|Indo-European root]] meaning "arrangement" or "to arrange". This is the only near-universal definition of art: that whatever is described as such has undergone a deliberate process of arrangement by an agent. A few examples where this meaning proves very broad include artifact, artificial, artifice, [[artillery]], [[Medicine|medical]] arts, and [[military]] arts. However, there are many other colloquial uses of the word, all with some relation to its [[etymology|etymological]] roots.

==Art forms==
[[Image:MonaLisa sfumato.jpeg|thumb|250px|Detail of[[Leonardo da Vinci]]'s [[Mona Lisa]], showing the painting technique of ''[[sfumato]]'']]There are a variety of arts, including visual arts and design, [[decorative art]]s, [[plastic arts]], and the [[performing arts]]. Artistic expression takes many forms: [[painting]], [[drawing]], [[printmaking]], [[sculpture]], [[music]], [[literature]], and [[architecture]] are the most widely recognised forms. However, since the advent of [[modernism]] and the technological revolution, new forms have emerged. These include [[photography]], [[film]], [[animation]], [[video art]], [[installation art]], [[conceptual art]], [[performance art]], [[community arts]], [[land art]], [[fashion]], [[comics]], [[computer art]], [[art intervention]] and, most recently, [[video game theory|video games]].

Within each form, a wide range of [[genre]]s may exist. For instance, a painting may be a [[still life]], a [[portrait]], or a [[Landscape art|landscape]] and may deal with [[History painting|historical]] or domestic subjects. In addition, a [[work (fine arts)|work of art]] may be representational or abstract.

Most forms of art fit under two main categories: [[fine arts]] and [[applied art]]s, though there is no clear dividing line. It has been proposed that each of the fine arts deal specifically with a main characteristic or trait as follows: literature is related to words; painting is related to colors; architecture to the line; sculpture to the shape or form; dance to movement and music to sound. Of all these music is the only that has the quality of invisibility. In the visual arts, the term ''fine arts'' most often refers to painting and sculpture, arts which have little or no practical function and are valued in terms of the visual pleasure they provide or their success in communicating ideas or feelings. Other visual arts typically designated as fine arts include printmaking, drawing, photography, film, and video, though the tools used to realize these media are often used to make applied or commercial art as well. Architecture typically confounds the distinctions between fine and applied art, since the form involves designing structures that strive to be both attractive and functional. The term ''applied arts'' is most often used to describe the design or decoration of functional objects to make them visually pleasing. Artists who create applied arts or crafts are usually referred to as [[design]]ers, [[artisan]]s, or craftspeople.

==Defining art==
There is often confusion about the meaning of the term ''art'' because multiple meanings of the word are used interchangeably. Individuals use the word ''art'' to identify painting, as well as singing.

===Characteristics of art===
There follow some generally accepted characteristics of art; after this there is some lengthier discussion of several of those facets perceived as universal or central to art:

* encourages an intuitive understanding rather than a rational understanding, as, for example, with an article in a scientific journal;
* was created with the intention of evoking such an understanding, or an attempt at such an understanding, in the audience;
* was created with no other purpose or function other than to be itself (a radical, "pure art" definition);
* elusive, in that the work may communicate on many different levels of appreciation; one may take the example of [[Gericault]]'s ''[[Raft of the Medusa]]'', in the case of which special knowledge concerning the shipwreck the painting depicts is not a prerequisite to appreciating it, but allows the appreciation of Gericault's political intentions in the piece;
* in relation to the above, the piece may offer itself to many different interpretations, or, though it superficially depicts a mundane event or object, invites reflection upon elevated themes;
* demonstrates a high level of ability or fluency within a medium; this characteristic might be considered a point of contention, since many modern artists (most notably, conceptual artists) do not themselves create the works they conceive, or do not even create the work in a conventional, demonstrative sense (one might think of [[Tracey Emin]]'s controversial ''My Bed'');
* the conferral of a particularly appealing or aesthetically satisfying structure or form upon an original set of unrelated, passive constituents.

===Skill===
[[Image:Michelangelo Buonarroti 017.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Adam]]. Detail from [[Michelangelo]]'s fresco in the ''[[Capella Sistina]]'' ([[1511]])]]Art can connote a sense of trained ability or mastery of a [[Recording medium|medium]]. An example of this is the contemporary young master Josignacio, creator of [[Plastic Paint Medium]]. It can also simply refer to the developed and efficient use of a [[language]] so as to convey meaning, with immediacy and or depth.

A common view is that the epithet 'art' (particular in its elevated sense) requires a certain level of creative expertise by the artist, whether this be a demonstration of technical ability (such as one might find in many works of the [[Rennaissance]] or in the plays of [[Shakespeare]]) or an originality in stylistic approach, or a combination of these two.

For example, a common contemporary criticism of some [[modern art|modern]] painting occurs along the lines of objecting to the apparent lack of skill or ability required in the production of the artistic object. One might take [[Tracey Emin]]'s ''My Bed'' or [[Damien Hirst|Hirst's]] ''The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living'', as examples of pieces wherein the artist exercised little to no traditionally recognised sets of skills. In the first case, Emin simply slept (and engaged in other activities) in her bed before placing the result in a gallery. She has, however, been insistent that there is a high degree of selection and arrangement in this work, which includes objects such as underwear and bottles around the bed. In the second case, Hirst came up with the conceptual design for the artwork. Although he physically participated in the creation of this piece, he has left the eventual creation of many other works to employed artisans. These approaches are exemplary of a particular kind of contemporary art: [[conceptual art]].

The exclusionary view that art requires a certain skill level to produce is often described as a [[lay critique]]. It derives from the fact that in [[Western culture]] at least, art has traditionally been pushed in the direction of [[representation (arts)|representationalism]], the literal presentation of reality through literal images. On the other hand, criticism has often been brought to bear on modern artists for having no creative involvement whatsoever in their creations: one might take Hirst's work again as emblematic of this approach. It may be further noted that certain forms of art outside a Western tradition, such as [[Islamic]] geometric designs and [[Islamic calligraphy|calligraphy]], [[Buddhist]] or [[Hindu]] [[mandalas]] and [[Celtic knotwork]], though they are non-representational, still require a measure of skill and certain creative involvement in their execution.

===Judgments of value===
[[Image:Aboriginal holllow log tomb.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Aboriginal hollow log tombs . National Gallery, [[Canberra]], [[Australia]]]]Somewhat in relation to the above, the word ''art'' is also used to apply judgments of value, as in such expressions as "that meal was a work of art" (the cook is an artist), or "the art of deception," (the highly attained level of skill of the deceiver is praised). It is this use of the word as a measure of high quality and high value that gives the term its flavor of subjectivity.

Making judgments of value requires a basis for criticism: at the simplest level, a way to determine whether the impact of the object on the senses meets the criteria to be considered ''art'', whether it is perceived to be attractive or repellent. Though perception is always colored by experience, and thus a reaction to art on these grounds is necessarily subjective, it is commonly taken that that which is not aesthetically satisfying in some fashion cannot be art. However, "good" art is not always, or even regularly, aesthetically appealing to a majority of viewers. In other words, an artist's prime motivation need not be the pursuit of the aesthetic, and art often depicts terrible images made for social, moral, or thought-provoking reasons; for example, [[Francisco Goya]]'s painting depicting the Spanish shootings of [[3rd of May]] [[1808]] is a graphic depiction of a firing squad executing several pleading civilians, yet at the same time, the horrific imagery demonstrates Goya's keen artistic ability in composition and execution, and his fitting social and political outrage. Thus the debate continues as to what mode of aesthetic satisfaction, if any, is required to define 'art'.

The assumption of new values or the rebellion against accepted notions of what is aesthetically superior need not occur concurrently with a complete abandonment of the pursuit of that which is aesthetically appealing. Indeed, the reverse is often true, that in the revision of what is popularly conceived of as being aesthetically appealing allows for a re-invigoration of aesthetic sensibility, and a new appreciation for the standards of art itself. Countless schools have proposed their own ways to define quality, yet they all seem to agree in at least one point: once their aesthetic choices are accepted, the value of the work of art is determined by its capacity to transcend the limits of its chosen medium in order to strike some universal chord, or by the rarity of the skill of the artist, or in its accurate reflection in what is termed the ''[[zeitgeist]]''.

===Communicating emotion===
Art appeals to human emotions. It can arouse [[aesthetic]] or [[morality|moral]] feelings, and can be understood as a way of communicating these feelings. [[artist]]s have to express themselves so that their public is aroused, but they do not have to do so consciously. Art explores what is commonly termed as ''[[human condition|the human condition]]''; that is, essentially, what it is to be human, and art of a superior kind often brings about some new insight concerning humanity (not always positive) or demonstrates a level of skill so fine as to push forward the boundaries of collective human ability.

This is not to say that technical skill is a necessary prerequisite of art, but rather that a high degree of skill goes some way in conferring a judgement of high standard upon an artist or artwork.

===Creative impulse===
From one [[Perspective (visual)|perspective]], art is a generic term for any product of the [[creative impulse]], out of which sprang all other human pursuits — such as [[science]] via [[alchemy]], and [[religion]] via [[shamanism]]. The term 'art' offers no true definition besides those based within the cultural, historical and geographical context in which it is applied. Though to the artists themselves, the impulse to create is undeniable; an artist can no more deny that impulse than he/she could ignore breathing (one might compare [[Kandinsky]]'s [[inner necessity]] to this popular view). It is because of the overbearing need to create, in the face of financial ruin, public obscurity or political opposition, that artists are typically conceived of as unstable, even crazy, or misguided.

==Differences in defining art==
[[Image:Sanzio 01 Plato Aristotle.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Plato]] and [[Aristotle]]: detail from [[Raphael]]'s ''[[The School of Athens]]'' [[fresco]].]]Definitions of art and [[aesthetic]] arguments usually proceed from one of several possible perspectives. Art may be defined by the intention of the artist, as in the writings of [[John Dewey|Dewey]]. Art may be seen as being in the response/emotion of the viewer, as [[Leo Tolstoy|Tolstoy]] claims. In [[Arthur Danto|Danto's]] view, it can be defined as a character of the item itself or as a function of an object's context.

===Plato===
For [[Plato]], art is a pursuit whose adherents are not to be trusted; given that their productions imitate the sensory world (itself an imitation of the divine world of forms) art necessarily is an imitation of an imitation, and thus is hopelessly far from the source of the truth. Plato, it may be noted, barred artists from access to his ideal city, in his [[Republic]].

===Aristotle===
Aristotle saw art in less of a bad light; though he shared Plato's poor opinion of it, he nevertheless thought that art might serve the purpose of emotional catharsis. That is, by witnessing the sufferings and celebrations of actors onstage onlookers might vicariously experience these same feelings themselves, and thereby purge such negative feelings.

===Institutional definition===
Many people's opinions of what art is would fall inside a relatively small range of accepted standards, or "institutional definition of art" ([[George Dickie]] 1974). This derives from education and other social factors. Most people did not consider the depiction of a [[Brillo|Brillo Box]] or a store-bought [[urinal]] to be art until [[Andy Warhol]] and [[Marcel Duchamp]] (respectively) placed them in the context of art (i.e., the [[art gallery]]), which then provided the association of these objects with the values that define art (Although, strictly speaking, Warhol's artwork was not an actual Brillo box but an ''exact replica'' of one - so it met the traditional criterion of skill at the very least).

Most viewers of these objects initially rejected such associations, because the objects did not, themselves, meet the accepted criteria. The objects needed to be absorbed into the general consensus of what art is before they achieved the near-universal acceptance as art in the contemporary era. Once accepted and viewed with a fresh eye, the smooth, white surfaces of Duchamp's urinal are strikingly similar to classical marble sculptural forms, whether the artist intended it or not. This type of recontextualizing provides the same spark of connection expected from any traditionally created art. It should be noted, however, that Duchamps act might be as readily interpreted as a demonstration of the (not always beneficial) power of artistic institutions, rather than the universal art potentially inherent in all objects.

The placement of an object in an artistic context is not taken as a universal standard of art, but is a common characteristic of [[conceptual art]], prevalent since the 1960s; notably, the [[Stuckist]] art movement criticises this tendency of recent art.

==Related issues==
===Social criticism===
[[Image:VersaillesCourHonneur.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Versailles: [[Louis Le Vau]] opened up the interior court to create the expansive entrance ''[[cour d'honneur]],'' later copied all over Europe]]Art is often seen as belonging to one social class and excluding others. In this context, art is seen as a high-status activity associated with wealth, the ability to purchase art, and the leisure required to pursue or enjoy it. The [[Palace of Versailles|palaces of Versailles]] or the [[Hermitage]] in [[St. Petersburg]] with their vast collections of art, amassed by the fabulously wealthy royalty of Europe exemplify this view. Collecting such art is the preserve of the rich, in one viewpoint.

Before the [[13th century]] in [[Europe]], artisans were considered to belong to a lower [[caste]], since they were essentially manual labourers. After Europe was re-exposed to [[Renaissance Classicism|classical culture]] during the [[Renaissance]], particularly in the [[nation-state]]s of what is now Italy ([[Florence]], [[Siena]]), artists gained an association with high status. However, arrangements of "fine" and expensive goods have always been used by institutions of power as marks of their own status. This is seen in the 20th and [[21st century]] by the commissioning or purchasing of art by big businesses and corporations as decoration for their offices.

===Utility===
There are many who ascribe to certain arts the quality of being non-[[utilitarianism|utilitarian]]. This fits within the "art as good" system of definitions and suffers from a class prejudice against labor and utility. Opponents of this view argue that all human activity has some utilitarian function, and these objects claimed to be "non-utilitarian" actually have the rather mundane and banal utility of attempting to mystify and codify unworkable justifications for arbitrary social hierarchy. It might also be argued that non-utilitarian is, in this context, a mis-usage; that art is not in and of itself, useless, but rather that it particularly use does not manifest itself in any traditionally demonstrable way (though advances in neuroscience may arguably enable the isolation of those associated cortices of the brain concerned with the creation or appreciation of art).

Art is also used by art therapists and some psychotherapists and clinical psychologists as [[art therapy]]. The end product is not the principal goal in this case; rather a process of healing, through creative acts, is sought. The resultant piece of artwork may also offer insight into the troubles experienced by the subject and may suggest suitable approaches to be used in more conventional forms of psychiatric therapy.

[[Image:Graffiti Panorama rome.jpg|thumb|600px|center|[[Grafitti]]]]The "use" of art from the artistâ€™s standpoint is as a means of expression. When art is conceived as a device, it serves several context and perspective specific functions. From the artistâ€™s perspective it allows one to symbolize complex ideas and emotions in an arbitrary language subject only to the interpretation of the self and peers.

In a social context, it can serve to soothe the soul and promote popular morale. In a more negative aspect of this facet, art is often utilised as a form of propaganda, and thus can be used to subtly influence popular conceptions or mood (in some cases, artworks are appropriated to be used in this manner, without the creator's initial intention).

From a more anthropological perspective, art is a way of passing ideas and concepts on to later generations in a (somewhat) universal language. The interpretation of this language is very dependent upon the observerâ€™s perspective and context, and it might be argued that the very subjectivity of art demonstrates its importance in providing an arena in which rival ideas might be exchanged and discussed, or to provide a social context in which disparate groups of people might congregate and mingle.

===History of art===
[[Image:kandinsky white.jpg|right|thumb|200px|"On White II", by [[Kandinsky]] [[1923]]]]
{{main|History of Art}}

The term '[[art history]]' typically refers to a historical examination of the various trends of the visual arts through certain periods of human history. It may also be taken to encompass a study of the theories of art, which may or may not include an examination of their historical context.

===Symbols===
{{main|Symbols}}

Much of the development of individual artist deals with finding principles for how to express certain ideas through various kinds of [[symbolism]]. For example, [[Vasily Kandinsky]] developed his use of [[color]] in [[painting]] through a system of stimulus response, where over time he gained an understanding of the [[emotions]] that can be evoked by color and combinations of color. Contemporary artist [[Andy Goldsworthy]], on the other hand, chose to use the medium of found natural objects and materials to arrange temporary sculptures.

==Cultural differences of art==
Several genres of art are grouped by cultural relevance, examples can be found in terms such as:

*[[African art]]
*[[American craft]]
*[[Western art]]
*[[Islamic art]]
*[[Eastern art|Asian art]] as found in:
**[[Buddhist art]]
**[[Indian art]]
**[[Chinese art]]
**[[Art and architecture of Japan|Japanese art]]
**[[Tibetan art]]
**[[Thai art]]
**[[Laotian art]]
**[[Korean art]]
**[[Aboriginal art]]
*[[Visual arts of the United States]]
*[[List of Latin American artists]]

==See also==
{{portal}}
* [[Aesthetics]], the philosophy of [[beauty]]
* [[Art criticism]]
* [[Art groups]]
* [[Art history]]
* [[Art sale]]
* [[Art school]]
* [[Art styles, periods and movements]]
* [[Art techniques and materials]]
* [[Art theft]]
* [[Artist]]
* [[Artist collective]]
* [[Definition of music]]
* [[Applied art]]
* [[Fine art]]
* [[Modern art]]
* [[Nudity in art]]
* [[Psychedelic art]]
* [[:Category:Aesthetics|Philosophy of art]]
* ''[[What Is Art?]]''

== Further reading ==
* [[Peter Magyar]], ''Thought palaces.'' Amsterdam: Architectura & Natura Press, 1999
* [[Aristotle]], ''Metaphysics''
* [[Plato]], ''Theory of forms''
* [[Carl Jung]], ''Man and his Symbols''
* [[Gyorgy Doczi]], ''The Power of Limits''.
* [[Benedetto Croce]], ''Aesthetic as Science of Expression and General Linguistic, 1902''

==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Arts}}
===Resources===
* [http://www.art.net/ Art.Net] - [[Art.Net|Art on the Net]] online [[artist collective]]
* [http://www.deviantart.com DeviantArt.com] - online art gallery
* [http://www.artlex.com ArtLex.com] - Dictionary of art terms
* [http://www.artcyclopedia.com/ Artcyclopedia.com] - Reference site
* [http://art.on-topic.net/art_terms_by_name/ Art.on-topic.net] Art Topic Reference site
* [http://www.art-atlas.net Art-Atlas.Net] The International Art Directory
* [http://www.nelepets.com/art The Art Millennium] - Comprehensive Art Encyclopedia
* [http://www.all-art.org History of Art] - World History of Art
* [http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks.html witcombe.sbc.edu] - Collection of art links
* [http://www.hamiltonelectronics.com/hma/ Hamilton Museum of Art] - Online Educational Art Museum
* [http://www.ijele.com Ijele.com] - Art eJournal of the African World

===Professional links===
* [http://www.TheDirectorsForum.Org/ The Art Museum Partnership]
* [http://www.aam-us.org/ American Association of Museums]

[[Category:Art| ]]
[[Category:Top 10| Art]]

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genre

2006-04-06T01:26:14Z

Sarahgal:

A '''genre''' is a division of a particular form of [[art]] according to criteria particular to that form. In all art forms, genres are vague categories with no fixed boundaries. Genres are formed by sets of conventions, and many works cross into multiple genres by way of borrowing and recombining these conventions. The scope of the word "genre" is usually confined to [[art]] and [[culture]]. In [[genre studies]] the concept of genre is often compared to [[originality]].

==Overall definition==
''Genre'' is originally a [[French language|French]] word meaning "kind", "sort" or "type"; in grammatical terminology, it means ''gender'', and refers to the grammatical categories of masculine, feminine and (in descriptions of some languages other than French) neuter [[grammatical gender|gender]] (the noun "genre" itself belongs to the masculine gender in French, for example).

In general there are three types of genre:
*Those of [[setting]], such as [[westerns]] or [[science fiction]];
*Those of [[mood]], such as [[comedy]] or [[horror (genre)|horror]];
*Those of format, such as [[Musical theater|musical]]s or [[non-fiction]].

The genre's may also be defined in film by the target audience (e.g. pre-teen or teen). They may also be catagorised by the production values of the film (e.g. blockbuster, independent, b-movie)

In artforms such as [[music]], [[painting]], and [[sculpture]], genre tends to be determined by format and style.

Genres are often divided into sub-genres. In [[literature]], for instance, can be organized according to the "poetic genres" and the "prose genres". [[Poetry]] might be subdivided into [[epic poetry|epic]], [[lyric poetry|lyric]], and [[dramatic poetry|dramatic]], while [[prose]] might be subdivided into [[fiction]] and [[non-fiction]]. Further subdivisions of dramatic poetry, for instance, might include [[comedy]], [[tragedy]], [[melodrama]], and so forth. This parsing into subgenres can continue: "comedy" has its own genres, for example, including [[farce]], [[comedy of manners]], [[burlesque]], and [[satire]].

==Generic conventions==
In every field of [[art]] there are [[convention]]s that may simply be [[expectation]]s ([[painting]]s are rectangular) and stock devices (a [[comedy]] ends with a marriage, but a [[western (genre)|western]] can end with the [[hero]] riding off into the sunset). These are generic conventions which are very closely tied to a particular artistic genre, and help to define what that genre is. Some of these conventions may develop into [[clichÃ©]]s.

==Genre and audiences==
Although most genres are often only vaguely definable, genre considerations are one of the most important factors in determining what a person will see or read. Many genres have built-in audiences and corresponding publications that support them, such as [[magazine]]s and websites. Books and movies that are difficult to pigeonhole into a genre are often less successful commercially.

=="Hierarchy of Genres"==
In the field of [[painting]], there exists a "[[hierarchy of genres]]" associated with the [[AcadÃ©mie franÃ§aise]] which once held a central role in [[academic art]]. These genres in hierarchical order are:
* [[History painting]]
* [[Genre painting]]
* [[Portrait painting]]
* [[Landscape|Landscape painting]]
* [[Still life|Still life painting]]

These categories played an important role between the [[17th century]] and the modern era, when [[painter|painters]] and [[critic|critics]] began to rebel against the many rules of the AcadÃ©mie franÃ§aise, including the AcadÃ©mie's preference for history painting.

==Genre in philosophy==
The concept of "genre" has played a notable role among [[Philosophy of language|philosophers of language]], figuring very prominently in the works of philosopher and literary scholar [[Mikhail Bakhtin]]. Bakhtin's basic observations were of "speech genres" (the idea of [[heteroglossia]]), modes of speaking or writing that people learn to mimic, weave together, and manipulate (such as "formal letter" and "grocery list", or "university lecture" and "personal anecdote"). The work of [[Georg LukÃ¡cs]] also touches on the nature of literary genres, appearing separately but around the same time (1920s–1930s) as Bakhtin.

==See also==
* [[Genre studies]]

===Genre articles by field===
* [[Biblical genre]]
* [[Computer and video game genres]]
* [[Crime fiction]]
* [[Film genre]]
* [[Genre fiction]]
* [[Horror (genre)]]
* [[Literary genre]]
* [[Romantic fiction]]
* [[Music genre]]
* [[Spy fiction]]
* [[Webcomic genres]]
* [[Western (genre)]]

===Lists of media by genre===
* [[List of novelists by genre]]
* [[List of computer and video games by genre]]

==External links==
* [http://www.ericdigests.org/1994/genres.htm Helping Children Understand Literary Genres]
* [http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Genres/ Genres of film] at the [[Internet Movie Database]]
* [http://www.bustertests.co.uk/answer/how-to-analyse-genre/ How to analyse genre]

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fantasy

2006-04-06T01:25:49Z

Sarahgal:

{{clearright}}
{{dablink|For other meanings see [[Fantasy (disambiguation)]]}}
{{Fantasy}}

'''Fantasy''' is a [[genre]] of [[art]], [[literature]], [[film]], [[television]], and [[music]] that uses [[magic (paranormal)|magic]] and other [[supernatural]] forms as a primary element of either [[plot]], theme, [[setting]], or all three. The genre is generally distinguished from [[science fiction]] and [[horror (genre)|horror]] by overall look, feel, and [[theme (literature)|theme]] of the individual work, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three (collectively known as [[speculative fiction]]). In its broadest sense, fantasy covers works by many writers, artists, and musicians, from ancient [[mythology|myths]] and [[legend]]s, to many recent works embraced by a wide audience today.

As with other forms of speculative fiction, actions and events in fantasy very often differ from those possible in [[consensus reality]]. In many cases, especially in older works of fantasy but in many modern works as well, this is explained by means of [[divine intervention]], magic, or other supernatural forces. In other cases, most frequently in works of [[History of fantasy#Modern fantasy|modern fantasy]] in the [[high fantasy]] [[fantasy subgenres|subgenre]], the story might take place in a [[fantasy world]] that is wholly different from our own, complete with distinct laws of nature that permit magic.

==Definition==

The defining characteristics of ''fantasy fiction'' and its many overlapping sub-genres are the subject of debate among writers, scholars and fans of the genre.

One characteristic often cited to delineate the boundary of fantasy is that the story's setting differs from our own universe in a manner that is not the result of [[science]] or [[technology]], but rather the result of magic or other [[anomalous phenomena]]. This criterion is commonly, but not universally, accepted. For example, much of [[children's literature]] might fit this definition (e.g. the works of [[Dr. Seuss]]), but is nevertheless considered by many to be a separate genre.

As a genre, fantasy is both associated with and contrasted with [[science fiction]] and [[horror fiction]]. All three genres feature elements of the fantastic and make radical departures from reality or radical speculations regarding the nature of reality. Some writers and critics therefore prefer the term ''[[speculative fiction]]'' due to the frequent crossover from one genre to another. The term [[science fantasy]] is also sometimes used to describe science fiction stories that incorporate elements of fantasy, or fantasy stories that occur in settings more commonly associated with science fiction.

Further blurring the definition, some suggest there is a distinction between the fantasy genre and the more generic "[[fantastic]]", the latter referring to the use of fantasy-like elements in other fiction genres.

==History==
{{details|History of fantasy}}
Though the genre in its modern sense is less than two centuries old, its antecedents have a long and distinguished history.

Beginning perhaps with the ''[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]'' and the earliest written documents known to humankind, mythic and other elements that would eventually come to define fantasy and its various subgenres have been a part of some of the grandest and most celebrated works of literature. From ''[[The Odyssey]]'' to ''[[Beowulf]]'', from [[Arthurian Legend]] and medieval romance to the [[epic poetry]] of the ''[[Divine Comedy]]'', fantastical adventures featuring brave [[hero]]es and [[heroine]]s, deadly [[monster]]s, and secret [[arcane]] [[realm]]s have inspired many audiences. In this sense, the history of fantasy and the history of literature are inextricably intertwined.

The history of modern imaginary-world fantasy begins with [[William Morris]], who pioneered the genre in the late [[19th century]] with ''The Well at the World's End'' and other novels, and [[Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany|Lord Dunsany]], who continued the tradition into the [[20th century|20th]].

In the early to mid 20th century, much fantasy was published in the same magazines as [[science fiction]] (and often written by the same authors).

In the mid-1900's, two subgenres of fantasy became very popular and influential: [[high fantasy]] and [[sword and sorcery]]. Within the High Fantasy genre, [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' are milestones; other important works include [[C. S. Lewis]]'s ''Chronicles of Narnia'' and [[Ursula K. Le Guin]]'s ''[[Earthsea]]'' series. Some of the most important contributors to the Sword and Sorcery genre include [[Fritz Leiber]], [[Robert E. Howard]] and [[Clark Ashton Smith]]. Fantasy writing saw renewed popularity in the latter half of the 20th century, often influenced by these seminal works and, like them, borrowing from myth, epic, and medieval romance.

The popularity of the fantasy genre has continued to increase in the 21st century, as evidenced by the best-selling status of the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' series as well as fantasy film adaptations that have achieved blockbuster status, most notably the recent ''[[The Lord of the Rings film trilogy|Lord of the Rings]] movies.

== Media ==
:''For more details on this topic, see'' [[fantasy art]], [[fantasy film]], [[fantasy literature]]
Fantasy is a popular genre, having found a home for itself in almost every [[media|medium]]. While fantasy art and fantasy films have been hugely successful, it is fantasy literature which has always been the most expansive and diverse.

Fantasy [[role-playing game]]s cross several different media. The 'pen & paper' role-playing game [[Dungeons & Dragons]] was the first and is arguably the most successful and influential, though the [[science fantasy]] role-playing game series [[Final Fantasy]] has been an icon of the [[computer role-playing game]] genre. Role-playing games have in turn spawned much new art, literature, and even music in the genre. Game companies have published fantasy novels set in their own fictional game universes; the [[Forgotten Realms]], and [[Dragonlance]] series are some of the more popular.

Similarly, series of novels based on fantasy films and TV series have found their own niche.

{{details|Fantasy subgenres}}
Modern fantasy, including early modern fantasy, has also spawned many new subgenres with no clear counterpart in mythology or folklore, although inspiration from mythology and folklore remains a consistent theme. Fantasy subgenres are numerous and diverse, frequently overlapping with other forms of speculative fiction in almost every medium in which they're produced. Noteworthy in this regard are the [[science fantasy]] and [[dark fantasy]] subgenres, which the fantasy genre shares with science fiction and horror, respectively.

== Subculture ==

Fans of fantasy get together yearly at the [[World Fantasy Convention]]. The first was held in 1975 and it has occurred every year since. The convention is held at a different city each year.

== See also ==
{{Wiktionarypar|fantasy}}
* [[Anime]]
* [[List of fantasy authors]]
* [[List of fantasy worlds]]
* [[List of high fantasy fiction]]
* [[Fairy tales]]
* [[Horror fiction]]
* [[Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase]]
* [[Science fiction]]
* [[Speculative fiction]]
* [[Supernatural fiction]]
* [[Themes in Fantasy]]

==External links==
* [[Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America]] website: [http://www.sfwa.org/]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pastorkeith/fantastic.html Internet Dictionary of Fantastic Places]
*[http://www.awardannals.com/genre/fantasy/ Most Honored Fantasy Books] at the [http://www.awardannals.com/ Book Award Annals]
*[http://greatsfandf.com/ Great Science-Fiction & Fantasy Works]: speculative fiction considered as literature
*[http://www.nabble.com/Fantasy-Writing-f14618.html Fantasy Writing]: Nabble forum for fantasy writers, and discussion
*[http://www.rofmagazine.com/ Realms of Fantasy Website]: General Fantasy Content and Forums for Fantasy Enthusiasts and Writers

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Harry Potter

2006-04-06T01:24:52Z

Sarahgal:

[[Image:Harry Potter Logo.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The official Harry Potter logo]]
:''This article is about the Harry Potter series. For information about the character, see [[Harry Potter (character)]].''
'''Harry Potter''' is the name of a popular series of [[fantasy]] [[novel]]s by [[United Kingdom|British]] writer [[J. K. Rowling]]. Six of the seven planned books have been published to date (the seventh is expected to be published sometime in 2007), not including ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]'' and ''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]'', two spin-offs made for [[Comic Relief|charity]], depicted as Hogwarts school books used in the seven main novels. The books depict a world of [[witch]]es and [[wizard]]s, the main character being a young wizard named [[Harry Potter (character)|Harry Potter]]. The first novel, ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' (retitled ''[[Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone]]'' in the [[United States]]), was released in [[1997 in literature|1997]]. The first four books have been made into films, and the [[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)|fifth movie]] has begun filming (February [[2006]]), with an expected release in [[2007]].

The books are published by [[Bloomsbury Publishing Plc]] (original; distributed in the UK, other Commonwealth countries except Canada, and the Republic of Ireland), [[Scholastic Press]] (US edition; distributed in the United States) and [[Raincoast Books]] (original; distributed in Canada).

''Please note, most links lead to spoilers. Those that are noted will carry the following tag:''
{{spoiler}}

==Overview==
[[Image:Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.jpg|thumb|200px|Cover of the original novel in the series,
''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]''.]]
[[Image:Sorcerer's stone cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Cover of the [[United States]] edition, ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone''.]]

===Publishing history ===
The first Potter book was published in the [[United Kingdom]] by [[Bloomsbury Publishing Plc|Bloomsbury]], a fairly small independent publisher, in July 1997. Even before the book was released, Rowling received a six-figure sum for the American publishing rights, an unprecedented sum for a children's book. The books have [[fan (aficionado)|fans]] of all ages, however. In the United Kingdom, two editions of Harry Potter books have been released, identical in text, but with cover artwork aimed at children in one edition and adults in the other.

The first three books, ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'', ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]'' and ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'', all won the [[NestlÃ© Smarties Book Prize]] for the 9 to 11 age group [http://www.booktrusted.co.uk/nestle/pw.html]. By the time the fourth book, ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'', was published in 2000 the series had become very high-profile, making headlines of newspapers and covers of major magazines. Around the same time, [[Warner Brothers]] began work on a series of films based on the books.

Each book chronicles approximately one year in Harry's life at the [[Hogwarts|Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], where he learns to use [[magic (Harry Potter)|magic]] and brew [[Magical objects in Harry Potter|potions]]. Harry also learns to overcome many obstacles — magical, social and emotional — as he struggles through his adolescence.

There are seven books in the series, each a little darker than its predecessor, as Harry ages and his nemesis, [[Lord Voldemort]], gains power. As of July 16 2005, six books have been published. The latest, ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'', was published in its English-language version on [[16 July]] [[2005]]. Since the publication of book five, Rowling has revealed hints about the plot of future books on [http://www.jkrowling.com her personal website].

According to J.K. Rowling, the author of the novels, the main character Harry Potter appeared in her head while she was on a train from [[Manchester]] to [[London]] in 1991. Her favourite place to write the first book was at an [[Edinburgh]] cafÃ© table while drinking endless cups of coffee [http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/biography.cfm]. Sales from the books, as well as royalties from the films and merchandise, have made Rowling a billionaire and the 620th wealthiest person in the world. [http://www.forbes.com/static/bill2005/LIRCRTT.html?passListId=10&passYear=2005&passListType=Person&uniqueId=CRTT&datatype=Person].
Rowling is assumed to be richer than [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] (see [[J.K. Rowling]] for an explanation). As of [[4 October]] [[2005]], more than 300 million copies of the books have been sold worldwide [http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4300000/newsid_4308500/4308540.stm].

==The series==
===The books===
#''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' (''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'' in the United States)
#*Story timeline: [[Dates in Harry Potter|1981]], [[Dates in Harry Potter|1991]] to [[Dates in Harry Potter|1992]]
#*Release date: [[26 June]] [[1997]] (UK); [[1 September]], [[1998]] (US)
#*US sales: 17 Million. Hardcover 6.1 million, Paperback 10.9 million
#''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''
#*Story timeline: [[Dates in Harry Potter|1943]], [[Dates in Harry Potter|1992]] to [[Dates in Harry Potter|1993]]
#*Release date: [[2 July]], [[1998]] (UK); [[2 June]], [[1999]] (US)
#*US sales: 14.7 million. Hardcover 7.3 million, Paperback 7.5 million
#''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]''
#*Story timeline: [[Dates in Harry Potter|1993]] to [[Dates in Harry Potter|1994]]
#*Release date: [[8 July]], [[1999]] (UK); [[8 September]], [[1999]] (US)
#*US sales: 12.8 million. Hardcover 7.6 million, Paperback 5.2 million
#''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''
#*Story timeline: [[Dates in Harry Potter|1944]], [[Dates in Harry Potter|1994]] to [[Dates in Harry Potter|1995]]
#*Release date: [[8 July]], [[2000]] (UK/US)
#*US sales: 12.3 million. Hardcover 8.9 million, Paperback 3.4 million
#''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''
#*Story timeline: [[Dates in Harry Potter|1976]], [[Dates in Harry Potter|1995]] to [[Dates in Harry Potter|1996]]
#*Release date: [[21 June]], [[2003]] (UK/US)
#*US sales: 13.7 million. Hardcover 12.2 million, Paperback 1.5 million. 5 million in first 24 hours, initial printing 8.5 million copies.
#''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''
#*Story timeline:[[Dates in Harry Potter|1926, 1937, 1960, 1970]], [[Dates in Harry Potter|1996]] to [[Dates in Harry Potter|1997]]
#*Release date: [[16 July]], [[2005]] (UK/US)
#*US Sales: 20 million. 7 million in 24 hours, initial printing 10.8 million copies.
#[[Harry Potter: Book Seven|Title unknown]]
#*Story timeline: [[Dates in Harry Potter|1997]] to [[Dates in Harry Potter|????]]
#*Release date: 7 July 2007 (US/UK)

:''Further information: [[List of titles of Harry Potter books in other languages]] and [[Harry Potter in translation series]]''

In 2001, two slim spin-off volumes called ''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]'' by [[Newt Scamander]] and ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]'' by [[Minor characters associated with Quidditch|Kennilworthy Whisp]] were published. All proceeds went to the British charity organization "[[Comic Relief]]" (not to be confused with the American organization of the same name).

Rowling wrote the last chapter of the seventh book some time ago, before writing the third book. [http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/1999/0799-booklinks-omalley.html] Rowling has also mentioned that the last word of the book would be "scar," which remains to be seen. However, she is unsure whether that will be in the final draft in the book, as she was asked about it in an interview conducted by fan sites [[Mugglenet]] and [[The Leaky Cauldron]]. [http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2005/0705-tlc_mugglenet-anelli-2.htm]

Regarding the existence of ''Harry Potter'' novels beyond the seventh, Rowling has said that she might write an eighth book some day. If she does, she intends it to be a sort of encyclopÃ¦dia of the [[wizarding world]], containing concepts and snippets of information that were not relevant enough to the novels' plots to be included in them. [http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2005/0705-tlc_mugglenet-anelli-1.htm] She has also said that she will not write any sort of "[[prequel]]" to the novels, since by the time the series ends all the necessary back story will have been revealed. [http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/news_view.cfm?id=80] It is currently unknown, despite rumours, if Rowling will allow other authors to write novels set in the Harry Potter Universe not concerning Harry.

<gallery>
Image:Harry_Potter_and_the_Philosopher's_Stone.jpg|<div class="center">'''''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'''''</div>
Image:Harry_Potter_and_the_Chamber_of_Secrets.jpg|<div class="center">'''''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]'''''</div>
Image:Harry_Potter_and_the_Prisoner_of_Azkaban.jpg|<div class="center">'''''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'''''</div>
Image:Harry_Potter_and_the_Goblet_of_Fire.jpg|<div class="center">'''''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'''''</div>
Image:Harry_Potter_and_the_Order_of_the_Phoenix.jpg|<div class="center">'''''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'''''</div>
Image:Harry_Potter_and_the_Half-Blood_Prince.jpg|<div class="center">'''''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'''''</div>
Image:|<div class="class">'''''Harry Potter'' (Book Seven)'''</div>
</gallery>

===The films===
[[Image:GobletofFireUSposter.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Movie Poster for Goblet of Fire]]
Further Information: [[Harry Potter cast]]

#''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' (''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'' in the United States)
#*Release: [[16 November]] [[2001]]
#*Director: [[Chris Columbus]]
#''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)|Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''
#*Release: [[15 November]] [[2002]]
#*Director: [[Chris Columbus]]
#''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]''
#*Release: UK: [[31 May]] [[2004]], USA: [[4 June]]
#*Director: [[Alfonso CuarÃ³n]]
#''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''
#*Release: [[2005]]; [[Philippines]] and [[Indonesia]]: [[16 November]]; [[Singapore]], [[Malaysia]], [[Sweden]]: [[17 November]]; UK, USA, and other countries: [[18 November]]; [[Australia]]: [[1 December]]; [[Hong Kong]]: [[22 December]]; [[Russia]]: [[23 December]]
#*Director: [[Mike Newell (director)|Mike Newell]]
#''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''
#*Release: [[2007]]
#*Director: [[David Yates]]
#''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''
#*Release: [[2008]]
#*Director: Unknown
#''[[Harry Potter: Book Seven]] (title unknown)''
#*Release: Unknown
#*Director: Unknown

The first movie (''The Philosopher's Stone/Sorcerer's Stone'') is the highest grossing, at #3 for all-time worldwide box office, then ''Goblet of Fire'' at #8 (may change), ''Chamber of Secrets'' at #9, and ''Prisoner of Azkaban'' at #16. [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/]

==Controversy==
The books have provoked various kinds of controversy.

===Accusations of promoting the occult===
Some religious groups have attacked the books for allegedly promoting witchcraft or undermining Christianity or Islam. Most of this controversy has occurred in the parts of the [[United States]] where religion plays a prominent role in public life. Some claim that children who read the books may begin to view the miracles of God as simply another form of magic. In the [[United Kingdom]], Harry Potter's country of origin, the controversy has been minor.

Some highly conservative [[Christianity|Christian]] groups in the [[United States]] have denounced the series for promoting [[witchcraft]] and [[Satanism]]. "It contains some powerful and valuable lessons about love and courage and the ultimate victory of good over evil," said Paul Hetrick, spokesman for [[Focus on the Family]], a national Christian group based in [[Colorado Springs]]. "However, the positive messages are packaged in a medium — witchcraft — that is directly denounced in Scripture." [http://www.cesnur.org/recens/potter_06.htm].

[[Chick Publications]] produced a comic book tract called "[[The Nervous Witch]]" about two teenage girls who get seriously involved in occult witchcraft and become demonically possessed as a direct result of reading Harry Potter books.[http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/5012/5012_01.asp]

It has been argued that when [[Pope Benedict XVI]] was [[Prefect]] of the [[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]] he also condemned the books in a letter expressing gratitude for the receipt of a book on the subject, stating they are "a subtle seduction, which has deeply unnoticed and direct effects in undermining the soul of Christianity before it can really grow properly." [http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/jul/05071301.html] (It can be noted here [[Pope John Paul II]] was reputed to like Harry Potter and also promoted it) Monsignor Peter Fleetwood, a Vatican priest, wrote that these remarks were misinterpreted, and that the letter was likely to have been written by an assistant of the then-cardinal. [http://catholicinsider.com/scripts/hp_transcript.php]. Indeed, the letter appears to have been written by an underling, but was issued under the Cardinal's signature.

Harry Potter was parodied in ''[[The Onion]]'', when an article titled "Harry Potter Books Spark Rise in Satanism Among Children" satirically reported the thousands of children attracted to the dark arts and denying religion due to the books. As reported on [[Urban Legends Reference Pages]], some who were unaware that the article was a pastiche employed it as evidence in the demonisation of the books. The entire action and reaction is recorded on [http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/potter.htm this page].

===Injunction against purchasers of early copies===
A grocery store in Canada accidentally sold several copies of the sixth Harry Potter book before the authorised release date. The Canadian publisher, Raincoast Books, obtained an [[injunction]]  from the [[Supreme Court of British Columbia]] prohibiting the purchasers from reading the books in their possession. This sparked a number of news articles questioning the injunction's restriction on fundamental rights [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121377812487&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795] [http://www.canada.com/vancouver/story.html?id=9badf853-c1c3-4786-bf4f-75a5071e5c07]. Canadian law professor [[Michael Geist]] has posted commentary on his weblog [http://michaelgeist.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=889]. [[Richard Stallman]] has posted commentary on his weblog calling for a boycott until the publisher issues an apology [http://stallman.org/harry-potter.html]. Some versions of this [[creed]] have been circulated by email including a [[spoiler]] for one of the major plot points in the novel; whether this was actually the original posted version and was modified by Stallman is as yet unclear, though the tone of the sentence is substantially the same as that of the rest of the message.

==Other analogous works==
[[Image:Hbpcover-deluxe.jpg|right|thumb|Cover of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, US Scholastic Deluxe Edition]]

Critics of the Harry Potter [[stories]] are quick to point out that they lack originality. Certainly the influence of such writers as [[Roald Dahl]], [[T.H. White]], [[C.S. Lewis]], [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Neil Gaiman]] and others can be detected in J.K. Rowling's work. Conversely, it is arguable that the archetypical familiarity of the stories contributed to their rapid elevation to [[classic]] status.

The [[books]] draw upon a long tradition of [[boarding school]]-set [[children's literature]] in English. This [[school story]] genre originated in the [[Victorian era]] with ''[[Tom Brown's Schooldays]]'', by [[Thomas Hughes]]. ''Tom Brown's Schooldays'' laid down a basic structure which has been widely imitated. Similarities to Harry Potter are easy to identify. Both stories involve an average eleven-year old, better at sport than academic study, who is sent to boarding school. Upon arrival, the boy gains a best friend (East or [[Ron Weasley]]) who helps him adjust to the new environment. They are set upon by an arrogant bully â€” [[Flashman]] or [[Draco Malfoy]].

The impact in English of the Victorian era children's authors has been lasting; J.K. Rowling frequently mentions [[E. Nesbit]] in interview. There are further echoes of [[Rudyard Kipling]] in Rowling's work. Like the Harry Potter story, Kipling's classic ''[[The Jungle Book]]'' opens with an attack by the principal villain ([[Shere Khan]]) upon a year-old infant ([[Mowgli]]) and his parents. Shere Khan is unable to kill Mowgli because Mother Wolf (a figure analogous to [[Lily Potter]]) is willing to die to protect him. Mowgli grows up a virtual orphan until he is eleven, when he learns that either he must kill Shere Khan, or Shere Khan will kill him (as with Harry and [[Voldemort]]). Other tenuous similarities include [[Bagheera]], a black panther, who, like [[Sirius Black]], is an escaped prisoner, and acts as an uncle figure to Mowgli.

Within the later-arising fantasy genre, schools of magic that may be forerunners to [[Hogwarts]] are identifiable. The basic premise of [[Ursula K. LeGuin]]'s ''[[A Wizard of Earthsea]]'', in which a boy with unusual aptitude for magic is recognised, and sent to a special school for wizards, resembles that of Harry Potter. The hero encounters a typically unpleasant Draco-like rival, in the Flashman tradition.

The Earthsea books, while hugely successful, were not the first to propose the idea of a school for wizards. Magical education appears in [[Eleanor Estes]]' 1960 book [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/015202610X ''The Witch Family''], and in [[Patricia Coombs]]' ''Dorrie'' series ([[1962]]+).

[[John Bellairs]]' ''Lewis Barnavelt'' books also have points in common with the Harry Potter stories. They concern a [[boy]], orphaned when his parents die in a car crash, who goes to live with peculiar Uncle Jonathan and housekeeper Mrs. Zimmermann. Both are wizards, and their house is a Hogwarts-like construction of moving pictures and secret passageways. Big, bearded uncle Jonathan is only somewhat magical (like Rowling's [[Hagrid]]), while the shrewder, stricter Mrs Zimmermann is actually a powerful sorceress.

[[Jill Murphy]]'s ''[[The Worst Witch]]'' series (first published in 1974), is set in a witchcraft school for girls, hosted in an ancient castle on a remote hill surrounded by a forest. Classes include potions, chant and broomstick flying. In [[Diana Wynne Jones]]' ''[[Charmed Life (novel)|Charmed Life]]'' (1977), two orphaned children receive magical education while living in a castle. The setting is a world resembling early 1900 Britain, where magic is commonplace. In the early [[1990s]], [[Jane Yolen]] also preceded J.K. Rowling (with [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0152020853 ''Wizard's Hall'']), as did [[Eva Ibbotson]] (with [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0330398016/ ''The Secret of Platform 13'']).

In other media, fans of the comic book series ''[[The Books of Magic]]'', by [[Neil Gaiman]] (first published in [[1990]] by [[DC Comics]]) cite similarities to the Harry Potter story. These include a dark-haired boy with glasses, named Tim Hunter, who discovers his potential as the most powerful wizard of the age upon being approached by magic-wielding individuals, the first of whom makes him a gift of a pet owl. Rowling officially denies being aware of this series, and Gaiman has gone on record stating that he believes similarities to be either coincidence, or drawn from the same fantasy archetypes. [[Archie Comics]]' [[Sabrina the Teenage Witch]] (first appearing in the 1960s, later resurrected in the 1990s in response to the success of the live-action television series) also features a young magical protagonist.

In film and television, Hogwarts-like witches - one of whom is played by theatre actress [[Hermione Gingold]] - appear in the 1958 movie ''[[Bell, Book and Candle]]''. Similar characters appear in the 1960s television series ''[[Bewitched]]'': Samantha Stephens' aunts are described as running a school for witches.

The 1985 film ''[[Young Sherlock Holmes]]'', scripted by [[Chris Columbus]], also displays similarities to the Harry Potter series. The three leads bear a strong physical resemblance to the Harry, Ron and Hermione of Rowling's description (as does a character named Dudley to Draco Malfoy). They investigate a supernatural mystery in a Gothic boarding school, where staff include the [[Professor Flitwick]]-like Waxflatter, and sinister Rathe. Trophy-room duels, scars, a hooded Dementor-like apparition, Death Eater-style cultists, a flying bike, and ultimate [[sacrifice]] for love are other elements in common. The similarities contributed to [[Warner Bros.]] decision to employ Columbus as producer/director of the Potter movies, in preference to [[Terry Gilliam]], Rowling's original choice. Scenes from Young Sherlock Holmes were subsequently used to cast the first Harry Potter film ([http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/034/034108p1.html ''IGN: Trouble Brewing with Potter Casting?'']).

==Harry Potter as a brand==
[[Image:HP Promo.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Harry Potter costumes promoting the film in [[Hong Kong]].]]
The Harry Potter brand is very strong due to its devoted fan base. In addition to the aforementioned adjunct books, Harry Potter merchandise related to the books and movies is abundant.

On [[7 September]] [[2005]], [[Apple Computer]] announced that it would release a [[Special edition|limited edition]] [[iPod]] with the [[Hogwarts]] logo engraved on the back. This [[Special edition|limited edition]] [[iPod]] would be dubbed the Harry Potter Collector's iPod [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod#Harry_Potter_Collector.27s_iPod]. The purchase of this iPod included a code to download all of the Harry Potter [[audiobooks]] to date as well as [[J. K. Rowling]]'s [[biography]] from the iTunes Music Store. On [[12 October]] [[2005]] [[Apple Computer]] reintroduced the Harry Potter Collector's iPod [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod#Harry_Potter_Collector.27s_iPod] which comes with all the books and the engraving on the back like the original Harry Potter Collector's iPod but just updated, with the iPod line to match the look of the 5G [[iPod]]. The Harry Potter Fifth-Generation Collector's iPod [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod#Harry_Potter_fifth-generation_collector.27s_iPod] comes with all the features as the other 5G [[iPod]]s including the feature to watch videos.
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==See also==
{{portal}}
*[[:Category:Harry Potter|All Wikipedia articles about Harry Potter]]
*[[Wizarding world]]
*[[Blood purity (Harry Potter)|Blood Purity in Harry Potter]]
*[[Dates in Harry Potter]]
*[[Harry Potter (statistics)]]
*[[Harry Potter fandom]]
*[[Harry Potter Parodies]]
*[[List of characters in the Harry Potter books]]
**[[Harry Potter characters birthday list]]
*[[List of fictional books within the Harry Potter series]]
*[[List of places in the Harry Potter books]]
*[[Magic (Harry Potter)]]
**[[Canonical spells in the world of Harry Potter|List of spells in Harry Potter]]
**[[Magical beasts (Harry Potter)|Magical Beasts of Harry Potter]]
**[[Magical objects in Harry Potter]]
*[[Money in Harry Potter]]
''Harry Potter in Foreign Languages''
*[[Harry Potter in translation|''Harry Potter'' in translation]]
*[[Harry Potter in translation series]]
*[[List of titles of Harry Potter books in other languages]]

===Filming locations===
*[[Durham Cathedral]] in the city of [[Durham]] in the North East of [[England]]
*[[Alnwick Castle]] in [[Alnwick]], [[Northumberland]], [[England]].
*[[Borough Market]], [[London]]
*[[New College, Oxford]], part of the [[University of Oxford]] in the city of [[Oxford]]
*[[Goathland railway station]], [[Goathland]], on the [[North Yorkshire Moors Railway]] in [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]]
*[[Leadenhall Market]], [[London]]
*[[Kings Cross railway station]], [[London]]
*[[Gloucester Cathedral]] in [[Gloucester]], [[England]]
*[[Lacock Abbey]] in the village of [[Lacock]], [[Wiltshire]], [[England]]
*[[Glenfinnan Viaduct]] on the [[West Highland Railway]] in [[Glenfinnan]], [[Lochaber]], [[Highland]], [[Scotland]].
*[[Beckley Park]], [[Oxfordshire]]

==References==
*[http://www.chick.com/bc/2003/harrypotter.asp "'Potter books are Pagan Discipleship' says author"]. Retrieved Nov. 8, 2005.
*"Pottermania in London". (Nov. 8, 2005). ''[[New Straits Times]]'', p. 30.

==Further reading==
*Beahm, George W. ''Fact, Fiction, and Folklore in Harry Potter's World: An Unofficial Guide''.
*Beahm, George W. ''Muggles and Magic: An Unofficial Guide to J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter Phenomenon''.
*Chippendale, Lisa A. ''Triumph of the Imagination: The Story of J.K. Rowling''. 2002, 2003.
*Fraser, Lindsey. ''Conversations with J.K. Rowling''. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2001.
*''J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Novels: A Reader's Guide''. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001.
*Lawrence, Daniel. ''The Ultimate Unofficial Harry Potter Trivia Book: Secrets, Mysteries and Fun Facts Including Half-Blood Prince Book 6''.
*Rowling, J.K. ''Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them''. Sagebrush, 2001.
*--. ''Quidditch Through the Ages''. Sagebrush, 2001.
*Shapiro, Marc. ''J.K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter''. St. Martin's Press, 2000.
*Smith, Sean. ''J.K. Rowling: A Biography''. Michael O'Mara Books, 1999.
*''Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter'' (Analysis of Books 1-4). No location: Wizarding Press, 2003.
*David Colbert ''The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter''. Penguin Books, 2001.

==External links==

{{wikiquote}}
{{commons|Harry Potter}}

'''Official sites:'''
*[http://www.jkrowling.com JK Rowling's personal website]
*[http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/ Official Harry Potter Movies Website (Warner Bros.)]
*[http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/ Harry Potter on Bloomsbury.com (International publisher)]
*[http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/ Harry Potter on Scholastic.com (U.S. publisher)]
*[http://www.raincoast.com/harrypotter/ Harry Potter on Raincoast.com (Canadian publisher)]

'''Other resources:'''
* {{wikicities|HarryPotter|Harry Potter}}

For further fandom links, including "unofficial" websites, see [[Harry Potter fandom]].

{{Harrypotter}}

[[Category:Harry Potter|*]]
[[Category:Fantasy series]]
[[Category:Bestselling children's books]]

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