The umbrella genre of speculative fiction is characterized by a lesser degree of adherence to plausible depictions of individuals, events, or places, while the umbrella genre of realistic fiction (partly crossing over withliterary realism) is characterized by a greater degree of adherence to such depictions. For instance, speculative fiction may depict an entirely imaginary universe or one in which the laws of nature do not strictly apply (often the subgenre offantasy). Alternatively, the genre depicts actual historical moments, except that they have concluded in an entirely imaginary way or been followed by major imaginary events (i.e., the subgenre ofalternative history). As another alternative, the genre depictsimpossible technology or technology that defies current scientific understanding or capabilities (i.e., the subgenre ofscience fiction).
By contrast, realistic fiction involves a story whose basicsetting is real and whose events could plausibly occur in the real world. One realistic fiction subgenre ishistorical fiction, which is centred around actual major events and time periods of the past.[4] The attempt to make stories seem faithful to reality or to moreobjectively describe details—and also the 19th-century artistic movement that vigorously promoted this approach—is called "literary realism"; this includes both fiction and non-fiction works.
Distinguishing science fiction from other speculative fiction
"Speculative fiction" is sometimes abbreviated asspec-fic,spec fic,specfic,[5]S-F,SF, orsf.[6][7] The last three abbreviations, however, are ambiguous since they have long been used to refer to science fiction (which lies within this general area of literature).[8] The genre is sometimes known asthe fantastic[9] orfantastika; the latter term is attributed toscience fiction scholarJohn Clute, who coined it in 2007 after the term for the genre in someSlavic languages.[9][10][11]
The termspeculative fiction has been used by some critics and writers who oppose a perceived limitation of science fiction: the requirement for a story to adhere to scientific principles. These people argue thatspeculative fiction better defines an expanded, open, imaginative type of fiction than doesgenre fiction, and the categories offantasy,mystery,horror andscience fiction.[12]Harlan Ellison used the term to avoid being classified as a science fiction writer. Ellison, a fervent proponent of writers embracing more literary andmodernist directions,[13][14] broke out of genre conventions to push the boundaries of speculative fiction.
The termsuppositional fiction is sometimes used as a subcategory designating fiction in which characters and stories are constrained by an internally consistent world, but not necessarily one defined by any particular genre.[15][16][17]
Speculative fiction as a category ranges from ancient works toparadigm-changing and neotraditional works of the 21st century.[18][19] Characteristics of speculative fiction have been recognized in older works whoseauthors' intentions are now known, or in thesocial contexts of the stories they tell. An example is the ancientGreek dramatist,Euripides (c. 480 – c. 406 BCE), whose playMedea seems to have offendedAthenian audiences; in this play, he speculated that the titular sorceressMedea killed her own children, as opposed to their being killed by otherCorinthians after her departure.[20]
Inmythography, the concept of speculative fiction has been termedmythopoesis ormythopoeia. This process involves the creative design and development of lore and mythology for works of fiction. The term's definition comes from use byJ. R. R. Tolkien; his series of novels,The Lord of the Rings,[24] shows an application of the process. Themes common in mythopoeia, such as thesupernatural,alternate history, andsexuality, continue to be explored in works produced in modern speculative fiction.[25]
These examples highlight a caveat—many works that are now viewed as speculative fiction long predated the labelling of the genre. In the broadest sense, the genre's concept does two things: it captures bothconscious andunconscious aspects of humanpsychology in making sense of the world, and it responds to the world by creatingimaginative,inventive, andartistic expressions. Such expressions can contribute to practical societal progress through interpersonal influences;social andcultural movements; scientific research and advances; and thephilosophy of science.[31][32][33]
Robert Heinlein c.1953
InEnglish-language usage in arts and literature since the mid 20th century, the termspeculative fiction has often been attributed toRobert A. Heinlein, who first used it in an editorial inThe Saturday Evening Post (on 8 February 1947). In the article, Heinlein usedSpeculative Fiction as a synonym forscience fiction; in a later article, he stated explicitly that his use of the term excluded fantasy. Although Heinlein may have invented the term independently, earlier citations exist. An article inLippincott's Monthly Magazine in 1889 used the term in reference toEdward Bellamy's novelLooking Backward: 2000–1887 and other works; and an article in the May 1900 issue ofThe Bookman mentioned thatJohn Uri Lloyd's novelEtidorhpa, or, The End of the Earth had "created a great deal of discussion among people interested in speculative fiction".[34] A variant of this term isspeculative literature.[35]
The use of the termspeculative fiction to express dissatisfaction with traditional orestablishment science fiction was popularized in the 1960s and early 1970s byJudith Merril, as well as other writers and editors connected with theNew Wave movement. However, this use of the term became less popular toward the mid-1970s.[36]
During the 2000s, the termspeculative fiction came into wider use as a convenient way to describe a set of genres. However, some writers (such asMargaret Atwood) still distinguish "speculative fiction" as a specifically "noMartians" type of science fiction, "about things that really could happen."[37]
The termspeculative fiction is also used to describe genres combined into a singlenarrative orfictional world, such as "science fiction, horror, fantasy...[and]...mystery".[38]
According to publisher statistics, men outnumber women about two to one among English-language speculative fiction writers who seek professional publication. However, the percentages vary considerably by genre, with women outnumbering men in the areas ofurban fantasy,paranormal romance andyoung adult fiction.[39]
Features technologies and other elements that do not actually exist, but may be imagined as being created or discovered in the future through scientific advancement, such asadvanced robots,interstellar travel,aliens,time travel,mutants andcyborgs. Many science fiction stories are set in the future.
Centers onsuperheroes (i.e., heroes with extraordinary abilities or powers) and their fight against evil forces such assupervillains. Typically incorporates elements of science fiction or fantasy, and may be a subgenre of these.
Also known asWeird Western—the hybrid genres of fantasy Western, horror Western and science fiction Western, combining elements of theWestern genre with those of fantasy, horror and science fiction.
Similar to horror and fantasy, this genre overlaps with Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Occult Detective Fiction, and Paranormal Fiction. It exploits or requires plot devices or themes that often contradict commonplace, materialist assumptions about thenatural world.
Focuses on stories that inspire fear. Villains may be either supernatural entities, such asmonsters,vampires,ghosts anddemons, or mundane people, such as psychopathic and cruel murderers. Often features violence and death.
^abOziewicz, Marek (2017)."Speculative Fiction".Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature.doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190201098.013.78.ISBN978-0-19-020109-8. Archived fromthe original on 18 October 2022.... a super category for all genres that deliberately depart from imitating "consensus reality" of everyday experience. In this latter sense, speculative fiction includes fantasy, science fiction, and horror, but also their derivatives, hybrids, and cognate genres like the gothic, dystopia, weird fiction, post-apocalyptic fiction, ghost stories, superhero tales, alternate history, steampunk, slipstream, magic realism, fractured fairy tales, and more.
^Davies, Philip. "Review [untitled; reviewed work(s):Science Fiction: Its Criticism and Teaching by Patrick Parrinder;Fantastic Lives: Autobiographical Essays by Notable Science Fiction Writers by Martin Greenberg;Robert A. Heinlein: America as Science Fiction by H. Bruce Franklin;Bridges to Science Fiction by George E. Slusser, George R. Guffey, Mark Rose].Journal of American Studies Vol. 16, No. 1 (April 1982). pp. 157–159.
^Izenberg, Orin (2011).Being Numerous: Poetry and the Ground of Social Life. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 210.
^Leitch, Thomas M.What Stories Are: Narrative Theory and Interpretation University Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1986; p. 127
^Domańska, Ewa (1998).Encounters: Philosophy of History After Postmodernism. Charlottesville, Virginia: University Press of Virginia. p. 10.
^Barry Baldwin, Emeritus Professor of Classics, University of Calgary, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, "Ancient Science Fiction", Shattercolors Literary Review
^Martha Tuck Rozett, "Creating a Context for Shakespeare with Historical Fiction", Shakespeare QuarterlyVol. 46, No. 2 (Summer, 1995), pp. 220–227
^Dorothea Kehler, A midsummer night's dream: critical essays, 2001
^Adcox, John, "Can Fantasy be Myth? Mythopoeia and The Lord of the Rings" in "The Newsletter of the Mythic Imagination Institute, September/October, 2003"
^Eric Garber, Lyn Paleo Uranian Worlds: A Guide to Alternative Sexuality in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, 2nd Edition, G K Hall: 1990ISBN978-0-8161-1832-8
^Herodotus and Myth Conference, Christ Church, Oxford, 2003
^John M. Marincola, Introduction and Notes, The Histories by Herodotus, tr. Aubrey De Sélincourt, 2007
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