A Tale Of Alexander Romance And A True Story - 1783 Words

A Marvelous World: The Uses of Fantasy in The Alexander Romance and A True Story There is great contrast between the uses of fantasy in The Alexander Romance by Pseudo-Callisthenes and A True Story by Lucian. Pseudo-Callisthenes uses the fantastical elements in his novel to reveal certain characteristics of his main character, Alexander, which are both positive such as his creativity and intelligence and negative such as his hubris. Lucian uses the marvelous to satirize his society especially the elements he viewed as unfeasible including the domain of philosophy. Thus, he problematizes this domain and certain people within it, such as Plato by combining real figures with fantastical elements. Precluding the birth of Alexander, exposure†¦show more content†¦Another major fantastical motif seen in the Alexander Romance is that of flight. Alexander’s flight to heaven is an influential moment for the character of Alexander. On one hand this episode enhances his traditional characterization, which includes elements such as creativity, ambition and cle verness . Alexander’s strategic abilities and creativity are displayed in this situation. This is demonstrated by the creation with which constructs in order to achieve his fantastical ends. After capturing two birds in the area Alexander constructed â€Å"something like a yolk to be made of timber and for it to be attached to their necks.† The device continued as Alexander â€Å"made a sort of basket from ox-hide† This demonstrates Alexander’s creative abilities as he utilizes the materials available to him in order to achieve his ends. His strategic abilities in this situation are displayed as he ordered the birds â€Å"not to be given food for three days†. When Alexander gets into the basket to fly with the birds he is holding â€Å"a spear about seven cubits long with horse liver on its tip† This caused the birds to fly â€Å"up to eat the liver†. This shows his ability to strategize and deduce that the best way to fly the hig hest the fastest would be to starve the birds and then urge them on with food . His ambition is highlighted in this situation as he â€Å"wondered whether the end of the earth was really here and whether the sky slopedShow MoreRelatedEssay on Southeastern Native American Literature1215 Words   |  5 Pagesnumber of mythological stories from informants during his years of fieldwork among the Eastern Band of the Cherokee in western North Carolina; Mooney incorporated that material into the important compilation Myths of the Cherokee (1900). A century later, folklorist Barbara R. 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