Final answer:
Modern fantasy can be seen as the evolution of folklore, transforming the traditional elements of myth, magic, and the supernatural into contemporary narratives that resonate with audiences. From gothic tales to popular series like Harry Potter, modern fantasy expands on the storytelling foundations created by folklore and serves to convey messages and values.
Step-by-step explanation:
One might argue that modern fantasy is the evolution of folklore. Reflecting on the origins of storytelling, which provided answers to life's questions through myths passed down from one generation to the next, we see a natural progression to the works of writers like Walter Scott, Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe, and Mary Shelley. Their stories often contain elements of mystery, magic, and the supernatural, much like the tales collected by the Brothers Grimm. Furthermore, the modern trend of using fantasy to explore human conditions, such as the development of empathy when reading fiction, or the challenges of creating unified worlds without the boundaries of reality, demonstrates how modern fantasy takes the essence of folklore and transforms it into narratives that resonate with contemporary audiences.
Looking at various genres, such as gothic tales, we see an expansion of folklore's supernatural and dream-like elements into complex, often dark narratives set in mysterious environments. Modern fantasy stories, like those found in popular series such as Harry Potter or Star Wars, often follow this evolutionary path and are full of archetypes studied by scholars like Jung. These stories serve a similar purpose to folklore, using myths and broken myths to convey messages and values, even when they are known to be fictional. Much like the performative aspects of Indigenous 'myth texts' and the 'broken myth' concept, these narratives continue to shape our understanding of the world around us and ourselves.