The use of components and elements horror fantasy in the novel Madina al-Mauta

The use of components and ways of creating horror fantasy in the novel Madina al-Mawta



Extended Abstract

Introduction: Fantasy in literature is a literary work that is freed from the limitations of the present world and depends on an imaginary world. The fantasy world deals with unreal, completely imaginary and strange characters that often go out of time and place and introduce the reader to a new world with unique characteristics. . Various works are included in the category of fantasy, all of which are based on imagination. By the end of the 20th century, fantasy branched out into many branches, and works that used the element of imagination were no longer classified into one group. Among these branches, we can mention fairy fantasy, comedy, romance, allegorical, psychological, heroic, philosophical, educational, time or space travel, talking beast, sword and sorcery, scientific, detective and gothic fantasy. These fantasies have almost common principles that knowing these principles helps to better understand this type of works. Dark fantasy introduces the reader to unusual realms. This fantasy is taken from the Gothic tradition, and depicts a sad and dark atmosphere. In this space, shadows are terrible and death is always lurking. Dark fantasy explores themes that are morbid in nature, instilling terror in the audience and confronting them with their deepest fears. Magic, mystery, brutality, murder, bloodshed, anxiety and terror are mixed in these fantasies.

Fantasy entered Arabic literature through translation, and Egypt was one of its pioneers. Hassan al-Jondi is a young Egyptian writer and novelist whose name is associated with the world of goblins, ancient manuscripts, psychic killers and the world of horror. He achieved considerable fame by writing a series of horror novels. Al-Jondi published the novel "Madina al-Mawta" in 2016. This story skillfully created a fantasy and horror world, and contains features that place it in the field of gothic fantasy or dark fantasy. The main goals of this research are: to analyze and investigate the author's style of narration and storytelling and how he benefits from fantasy elements and components and to investigate the complements of the horror genre in the present novel.

Methodology: In this research, the elements and components of fantasy in the novel are based on the principles of fantasy presented in the book "Fantasy in Children's Literature" by "Mohammed Mohammadi", and the supplements that create horror, which is a characteristic of this novel, according to the book " "Horror genre" written by "Brigid Cherry" is examined. This book examines the workings of the horror genre, and examines horror and suspense by presenting the constitutive complements of horror.

Results and Discussion: In the present study, the ways of creating fantasy and the fantasy effects of horror in Madina al-Mawta's novel are analyzed. This novel displays the effects of fear in a different way, and its author, "Hasan Al-Jondi", by using an imaginative and frightening atmosphere, confronts the audience with extraordinary and frightening events, and engages his mind in mysteries. And successive anxieties.

Conclusion: In terms of form and content, the novel "Madinah al-Mawta" is placed in the field of horror fantasy. Al-Jondi has used several important principles of the basic principles of fantasy, including the principle of surprise, the principle of fear and excitement, the principle of suspension of disbelief and the principle of transformation. In order to create an extraordinary world and display his creative imagination, the author has used various functional actions such as the functional action of using magic tools, changing the size and shape of organs, the functional action of disappearing, and the functional action of sleep and dreams in an artistic way. He also draws the strange events and magical moments that occur in the time frame of the main story by using the technique of retrospective time travel, and based on the sequence of events that happened in the past, he continues the story's back and forth until the end, which expands the space of the story. At some point, it becomes the story and its charm. Otherworldly places of the story also have innovative features and a product of unique imagination. In addition to that, horror-creating supplements in the form of title, sound, color and darkness play an effective role in strengthening fantasy elements. Also, by violating the principle of a happy ending for the narrative, the author confronts the audience with wonder mixed with fear. In the end, this story can be considered as one of the most complete works of fantasy in Arab literature in the field of horror due to the presence of fantasy elements and components and horror-creating supplements.

Keywords: : horror fantasy, fantasy components, Madina al-Mawta, Hasan al-Jondi.