George MacDonald is considered by many to have been the greatest fantasy writer of the nineteenth century. In the following essay, Manlove argues that although MacDonald's scientific background and rigorous religious beliefs interfered with his ability to write a purely imaginative fantasy story free of intellectual explanations, MacDonald's stories still contain the feature of "myth," which MacDonald considered an important aspect of fairy tales. (Explanations for title abbrevi...

In the following essay, Reis examines the symbolism and prose style that distinguish MacDonald's fantasy fiction from his conventional writings.

In the following essay, Manlove examines MacDonald's use of the typical pattern of fantasy literature wherein the hero returns to his home after an adventure.

In the following essay, Manlove discusses Christian elements in MacDonald's fairy tales.

In the following essay, Gunther disagrees with the notion of dualism in MacDonald's writing, positing instead that his works explore multiple realms of spiritual and psychological reality.

In the following essay, McGillis discusses the many ways MacDonald's Princess books can be interpreted.

In the following essay, Mendelson provides a close reading of three fairy tales that are exemplary of MacDonald's use of the genre.

In the following essay, Marshall examines MacDonald's use of generic fantasy elements in “The Day Boy and the Night Girl.”

In the following essay, Milner and Milner include MacDonald's works in a discussion of religious and poetic symbolism in nineteenth-century fantasy literature.

In the following essay, Boice argues that libraries are the most significant settings in MacDonald's fiction.

In the following essay, John suggests that MacDonald's fantasies are valuable for feminist study because of the positive light in which they portray older women.

In the following essay, Hein summarizes MacDonald's literary and religious beliefs as they appear in his fiction and nonfiction.