Is Bangsian fantasy appropriate?

[sidetrack]

This probably like my third posting were I ask if such a form of literature is appropriate and I’m sorry if it seems that I’m a prude (if that’s a bad thing).For does who know Bangsian fantasy is a genre about ussally like famous historical or literary characters in the afterlife in a comedic way.It was popularized (but not invented) by John Kendrick Bangs (I think that maybe “the divine comedy” is an earlier example of such a genre?).See the idea of depicting someone in the afterlife in a comedic way (espeically if it’s like in some kind of infernal place) does’nt seem very appropriate to me becuase it kind of makes like of the matter and I’m guessing it shows what the author think probably happens to a person in some afterlife place.That does’nt seem right because even though there’s times when we think about the afterlife that a person is going to have ultimately it not up to us to make such a judgement even if it’s based on speculation that gives some particular inclination.What do you guys think?.Thank you very much so for your time.

 

[GEddie]

It’s no more inappropriate than Dante himself, IMNAAHO. He, after all, knew nothing either about who went to Hell and Purgatory.

ICXC NIKA

 

[SeanPK]

My guess is that Bangsian themes are sometimes fit for literature. Classic examples in a comic vein might include Seneca’s “Pumpkinification of Claudius” or Dostoevsky’s “Bobok.”
Of course it’s more common today for this trick to be played in a way that makes light of religious teachings about the eternal destinies of souls. There is often a strong modern irony that suggests that the vision of a Dante is now irrelevant or outdated. The joke is on the very idea of Heaven or Hell rather than about the people being depicted, whereas the joke used to be on the people. Heaven and Hell are perhaps out of chairs, laying people off, trying to decide what kind of Internet service to use, etc. Hollow, awkward laughter for everyone.

 

[sidetrack]

@ SeanPK I’m sorry but I did’nt really understand what you meant.Do you mean that these days the joke is’nt who goes to what kind of afterlife but how those afterlife places are really like?.

 

[SeanPK]

Yes, today the joke is ultimately about how we are too “modern” to really believe in these things.