Allusion and “Illusion”: Geoffrey Chaucer in Contemporary American Fantastic Literature
- Issue:
- Received: 29 Mar. 2026
- Approved after reviewing: 14 Apr. 2026
- Date of publication: 25 Jun. 2026
- УДК / UDK: 821.111(73).0
- Publication Type: Research Article
- DOI:
- EDN:
- Abstract:
The influence of medieval literature on modern fantastic fiction seems to be undeniable, but first of all, as a rule, we are talking about fantasy literature, which incorporates plots and images of the Middle Ages. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Chaucer had a definite influence on science fiction and social fiction; he mainly merges with fantasy in children’s and adolescent literature, which is due, among other things, to the desire to include the classical author in the field of view of the young reader. Being widely known in popular culture, Chaucer, in addition to unambiguous allusions such as the use of a narrative structure such as “the story of so-andso”, also generates a wide field of illusory references established on the basis of external similarity (images of representatives of different classes, frivolous plots, naturalistic paintings of “medieval life”, etc.). Conscious and unconscious references to general cultural knowledge, their content and recognition by authors, readers and critics, and the very possibility of articulating them, seem to be an important area of research in fantastic literature.
- Keywords: fantastic literature, science fiction, anti-utopia, fantasy literature, Middle Ages, Chaucer
- For citation:
Sergeeva, Valentina. “Allusion and ‘Illusion’: Geoffrey Chaucer in Contemporary American Fantastic Literature.” Literature of the Americas, no. 20 (2026): 162–179. https://doi.org/10.22455/2541-7894-2026-20-162-179
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