Well it depends. Fantasy as a genre is a phenomenon that started in the 19th century.
Fantasy as a concept - imagination - is as old as humanity. Every work of fiction is a fantasy. Myth, allegory, mysticism... all contain fantastical elements. Medieval encyclopedias are bursting with fantastical elements. Using imagination is part of human nature and that any work of fiction contains fantastical elements goes without saying.
So when someone uses terms like "fantasy" and "worldbuilding" in relation to the VM, they could be doing one of two things:
1) Simply saying that it contains fictional elements. This would be true for most human writings in history, and hence would not add something new. Hence, I assume they are instead....
2) ...invoking the more modern concept of fantasy literature and associated concept of worldbuilding. This is by definition anachronistic.
Would the medieval bestiaries be called a work of fantasy? An exercise in worldbuilding? Doesn't this terminology feel a bit off?
Fantasy as a concept - imagination - is as old as humanity. Every work of fiction is a fantasy. Myth, allegory, mysticism... all contain fantastical elements. Medieval encyclopedias are bursting with fantastical elements. Using imagination is part of human nature and that any work of fiction contains fantastical elements goes without saying.
So when someone uses terms like "fantasy" and "worldbuilding" in relation to the VM, they could be doing one of two things:
1) Simply saying that it contains fictional elements. This would be true for most human writings in history, and hence would not add something new. Hence, I assume they are instead....
2) ...invoking the more modern concept of fantasy literature and associated concept of worldbuilding. This is by definition anachronistic.
Would the medieval bestiaries be called a work of fantasy? An exercise in worldbuilding? Doesn't this terminology feel a bit off?