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The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat

Year 2023, , 150 - 163, 30.11.2023
https://doi.org/10.30613/curesosc.1348759

Abstract

This study examines how the story of The Pied Piper of Hamelin is re-told in China Miéville’s novel King Rat in London by combining elements of urban fantasy and arguing that the boundaries between the real and the fantasy world are blurred in the city of London. China Miéville is regarded as one of the most remarkable contemporary British Fantasy literature writers. In King Rat, blending the familiar cityscape with elements of myth, magic and horror creates a rich environment where ordinary lives intersect with extraordinary forces. By analysing the thematic and stylistic features of the novel, this study will reveal how King Rat exemplifies the basic elements of urban fantasy, focusing on the setting, characters, and fantastic elements and how it makes an important contribution to the genre. This analysis will provide readers with a detailed panorama of the interplay between urban settings, fantastic elements, and dark themes in contemporary literature.

References

  • Andrews, S., & Rennison N. (2009). 100 must-read fantasy novels. A&C Black Publishers.
  • Attebery, B. (1992). Strategies of fantasy. Indiana University Press.
  • Bannister, J., & Fyfe, N. (2001). Introduction: Fear and the city. Urban Studies, 38(5), 807–813. https://doi.org/10.3828/extr.2009.50.2.2
  • Bould, M. (2009). Mind the gap: The impertinent predicates (and subjects) of King Rat and Looking for Jake and Other Stories. Extrapolation, 50(2), 307-325. https://doi.org/10.3828/extr.2009.50.2.10
  • Butcher, J. (2000). Storm front: The Dresden files. Roc.
  • Clute, J., & Grant, J. (1996). The encyclopaedia of fantasy. Orbit.
  • Duncan, C. (2010). Unravelling the real: The fantastic in Spanish-American ficciones. Temple University Press.
  • Ekman, S. (2016). Urban fantasy: A literature of the unseen. Journal of Fantastic in the Arts, 27(3), 452-469.
  • Hobson A.J., & Anyiwo U.M. (2019). Introduction: What is urban fantasy?. In A.J. Hobson & U.M. Anyiwo (Eds.), Gender warriors: Reading contemporary urban fantasy (pp. 1-10).
  • Hume, K. (1984). Fantasy and mimesis: Responses to reality in western literature. Routledge.
  • Irvine, A.C. (2012). Urban fantasy. In E. James and F. Mendlesohn (Eds.), The Cambridge companion to fantasy literature (pp. 200-213).
  • Manlove, C. (1999). The fantasy literature of England. Palgrave.
  • Martin, P. (2009). A guide to fantasy literature. Crickhollow Books.
  • Mathews, R. (2002). Fantasy: The liberation of imagination. Routledge.
  • Mendlesohn F., & James E. (2009). A short history of fantasy. Middlesex University Press.
  • Miéville, C. (1998). King Rat. Tom Doherty Associates.
  • Pike, B. (1981). The image of the city in modern literature. Princeton University Press.
  • Rayment, A. (2014). Fantasy, politics, postmodernity: Pratchett, Pullman Miéville and stories of the eye. Rodopi.
  • Scholz, T. (2018). Where discourse meets Discworld: labyrinths, humour and the neo-baroque in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld stories. In M. Rana (Ed.), Terry Pratchett’s narrative worlds (pp. 227-245).
  • Vint, S. (2009). Introduction: Special issue on China Miéville. Extrapolation, 50(2). 197-199. https://doi.org/10.3828/extr.2009.50.2.2
  • Weiss, A. (2006). Destiny and identity in Canadian urban fantasy. In B. Olinder (Ed.), Literary environments: Canada and the old world (pp. 109–118).
  • Wolfe, G. (2004). Fantasy. In D. Sandner. (Ed.), Fantastic literature: A critical reader (pp. 271-273).
  • Young, H. (2016). Race and popular fantasy literature: Habits of whiteness. Routledge.

Londra’da Bir Katil Olarak Fareli Köyün Kavalcısı: China Miéville’in Kral Fare Romanı

Year 2023, , 150 - 163, 30.11.2023
https://doi.org/10.30613/curesosc.1348759

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Fareli Köyün Kavalcısı hikâyesinin China Miéville'in Kral Fare adlı romanında Londra'da şehir fantezisi unsurlarıyla birleştirilerek nasıl yeniden anlatıldığını incelemekte ve Londra şehrinde gerçek dünya ile fantezi dünyası arasındaki sınırların ayırt edilemez hale geldiğini gözler önüne sermektedir. China Miéville, çağdaş İngiliz Fantastik edebiyatının en dikkat çekici yazarlarından biri olarak kabul edilmektedir. Yazar, Kral Fare’de tanıdık şehir manzarasını mit, büyü ve korku unsurlarıyla harmanlayarak sıradan hayatların olağanüstü güçlerle kesiştiği zengin bir ortam yaratır. Bu çalışma, romanın tematik ve üslup özelliklerini analiz ederek, romandaki mekan, karakter ve fantastik unsurlara odaklanarak bu özelliklerin şehir fantezisinin temel unsurlarını nasıl örneklediğini ve türe nasıl önemli bir katkı sağladığını ortaya koyacaktır. Bu analiz, okuyuculara çağdaş edebiyatta kentsel ortamlar, fantastik öğeler ve karanlık temalar arasındaki etkileşimin ayrıntılı bir panoramasını sunmaktadır.

References

  • Andrews, S., & Rennison N. (2009). 100 must-read fantasy novels. A&C Black Publishers.
  • Attebery, B. (1992). Strategies of fantasy. Indiana University Press.
  • Bannister, J., & Fyfe, N. (2001). Introduction: Fear and the city. Urban Studies, 38(5), 807–813. https://doi.org/10.3828/extr.2009.50.2.2
  • Bould, M. (2009). Mind the gap: The impertinent predicates (and subjects) of King Rat and Looking for Jake and Other Stories. Extrapolation, 50(2), 307-325. https://doi.org/10.3828/extr.2009.50.2.10
  • Butcher, J. (2000). Storm front: The Dresden files. Roc.
  • Clute, J., & Grant, J. (1996). The encyclopaedia of fantasy. Orbit.
  • Duncan, C. (2010). Unravelling the real: The fantastic in Spanish-American ficciones. Temple University Press.
  • Ekman, S. (2016). Urban fantasy: A literature of the unseen. Journal of Fantastic in the Arts, 27(3), 452-469.
  • Hobson A.J., & Anyiwo U.M. (2019). Introduction: What is urban fantasy?. In A.J. Hobson & U.M. Anyiwo (Eds.), Gender warriors: Reading contemporary urban fantasy (pp. 1-10).
  • Hume, K. (1984). Fantasy and mimesis: Responses to reality in western literature. Routledge.
  • Irvine, A.C. (2012). Urban fantasy. In E. James and F. Mendlesohn (Eds.), The Cambridge companion to fantasy literature (pp. 200-213).
  • Manlove, C. (1999). The fantasy literature of England. Palgrave.
  • Martin, P. (2009). A guide to fantasy literature. Crickhollow Books.
  • Mathews, R. (2002). Fantasy: The liberation of imagination. Routledge.
  • Mendlesohn F., & James E. (2009). A short history of fantasy. Middlesex University Press.
  • Miéville, C. (1998). King Rat. Tom Doherty Associates.
  • Pike, B. (1981). The image of the city in modern literature. Princeton University Press.
  • Rayment, A. (2014). Fantasy, politics, postmodernity: Pratchett, Pullman Miéville and stories of the eye. Rodopi.
  • Scholz, T. (2018). Where discourse meets Discworld: labyrinths, humour and the neo-baroque in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld stories. In M. Rana (Ed.), Terry Pratchett’s narrative worlds (pp. 227-245).
  • Vint, S. (2009). Introduction: Special issue on China Miéville. Extrapolation, 50(2). 197-199. https://doi.org/10.3828/extr.2009.50.2.2
  • Weiss, A. (2006). Destiny and identity in Canadian urban fantasy. In B. Olinder (Ed.), Literary environments: Canada and the old world (pp. 109–118).
  • Wolfe, G. (2004). Fantasy. In D. Sandner. (Ed.), Fantastic literature: A critical reader (pp. 271-273).
  • Young, H. (2016). Race and popular fantasy literature: Habits of whiteness. Routledge.
There are 23 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects British and Irish Language, Literature and Culture
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Emrah Özbay 0000-0002-3051-8527

Early Pub Date November 30, 2023
Publication Date November 30, 2023
Acceptance Date November 23, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023

Cite

APA Özbay, E. (2023). The Pied Piper as a Killer in London: China Miéville’s Novel King Rat. Current Research in Social Sciences, 9(2), 150-163. https://doi.org/10.30613/curesosc.1348759