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FANTASY WOMEN
The literary roots of phallocentrism
in modern fantasy computer games

US $0.99

This essay explores the reason why fantasy computer games continue to use sexist stereotypes of women including scantily-clad temptresses, Amazonian warrior-princesses and evil witches. It draws a parallel between an obscure erotic fantasy novel by Lin Carter called Tara of the Twilight and the techniques still being used in modern fantasy story-telling. Read an excerpt here.

An Extract from the Introduction

The electronic games industry in Australia is burgeoning and with the increase of mobile devices, there are many opportunities for enriched story-telling. Fantasy games are among the most popular genres, but will these games be able to escape the stereotypes that have driven them thus far?  For an industry that has sustained itself on the recycled popularity of every book and movie character that ever made it big, this may not be simple.  Producers still have to choose content that will sell. 

With a traditionally young male-dominated audience, the kinds of characters and scenarios that exist in modern fantasy games are especially phallocentric.  Along with movies and television shows, the narratives of modern fantasy games must change.  If they do not, then how will they hold the attention of the increasing number of female players, as well as those male players who want depth to their fantasy games, not just scantily clad temptresses and Amazonian heroines?

Where did this tradition begin, what does early fantasy literature demonstrate about today’s storytelling techniques and does it really need to change?  Turning to one very specific example will aid in this exploration.  Tara of the Twilight is an obscure, erotic, fantasy novel written in the 1960s by Linwood Vrooman Carter.  Lin Carter was an editor, critic and writer who had a significant influence upon the development of fantasy as a modern publishing genre.  He edited a number of anthologies, including The Year’s Best Fantasy Stories 2–6 and wrote many novels and short stories, including some contributions towards the Conan series.  As such, it is both interesting and alarming to witness the same writing techniques Carter employed in 1960–1970 still being used in modern fantasy.  In particular, some of the most sexist character types, plots and symbolism in Tara of the Twilight are still being used today, especially in fantasy video games.

Lin Carter’s Tara of the Twilight is a deliberate representation of male sexual fantasies.  The elements and techniques used in this novel reveal the repressed phallic symbols in fantasy games today.  For where Lin Carter was open and obvious about his portrayal of sex, many fantasy games today simply incorporate these unhealthy stereotypes as the norm.  Lin Carter’s techniques of characterisation, plot and symbolism can easily be paralleled with the masculine sexuality that dominates modern fantasy. 

‘Modern fantasy’ herein refers to any fantastical (other-worldly, but not science fiction or horror) narrative fictions, which have been published or produced since 1990.  This category includes novels, short stories, movies, television shows, computer/arcade/video games and more.  Tara of the Twilight is an interesting tool for investigating the phallocentric ideology in modern fantasy, which is most obvious in modern fantasy games.

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