logo Sign In

Post #1242846

Author
DominicCobb
Parent topic
Science Fiction or Space Fantasy - what is Star Wars
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1242846/action/topic#1242846
Date created
24-Sep-2018, 4:53 PM

Personally I do not think film genre classification should be constricted by the apparently rather narrow rules set forth by the publishing industry. To say that a space opera is only sci-fi and therefore has no elements whatsoever of any other genre just seems patently false to me. You state yourself that the genre was born out of planetary romance. Well then, would you mind telling me what what the genre of romance is?

If we’re going to operate solely with in established definitions, here’s from Wikipedia:

Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, melodramatic adventure, interplanetary battles, chivalric romance, and risk-taking.

Hmm, chivalric romance…

Romance or chivalric romance is a type of prose and verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a chivalric knight-errant portrayed as having heroic qualities, who goes on a quest… Romances reworked legends, fairy tales, and history to suit the readers’ and hearers’ tastes…
(interestingly enough the page goes on to reference Tolkien and The Tempest…)

Now about “planetary romance”

Planetary romance is a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy

Science fantasy?

Science fantasy is a mixed genre within the umbrella of speculative fiction which simultaneously draws upon and/or combines tropes and elements from both science fiction and fantasy. In a science fiction story the world is scientifically possible, while a science fantasy world contains elements which violate the scientific laws of the real world. Nevertheless the world of science fantasy is logical and often is supplied with science-like explanations of these violations.

Weird.

Side note: Wikipedia actually presents a convincing argument for Star Wars fitting best into another genre: mythopoeia (a phrase created by Tolkien).