The Tolkein essay Tom referred to is (I think) "On Fairy Stories" in _The
Tolkein Reader_. Also the essay "Why are Americans Afraid of Dragons?" by
Ursula LeGuin in _The Language of the Night_ is particularly to the point.
There is lots of criticism of "accepted" fantasy literature that you
could probably draw on: critiques of Jorge Louis Borges, Italio Calvino,
Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, Mark Twain (_Mysterious Stranger_), John
Updike (_The Centaur_). I know there is some crit on Pynchon, and
Philip K. Dick which might also help if it is not considered too radical
by your profs. I don't know if you could make use of critical analysis of
fairy tales as a related genre, but if so, try Bruno Bettelheim's
_The Uses of Enchantment_. One could also bring up _The Tale of Genjii_,
Ovid's _Metamorphosis_, the more fantastic portions of _The Odessy_,
_Beowulf_, _Sir Gawain and the Greene Knight_, etc.
Also, Ellen Datlow has edited a number of very good collections/anthologies
of fantasy short stories. Her introductory essays to these might provide you
with some further ideas.
If all else fails, you could follow the trail of those before you and defect
from literature to folklore ;-)
Regards from one who did,
Stephanie
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