For as long as people have told stories, they have included make-believe characters, settings, and events in those stories. The fantasy genre has roots in the world’s earliest surviving literature and traditions, and fantasy is represented today by many popular books, films, television programs, and video games. One common element across many fantasy works is the presence of violence. This entry explains definitions and characteristics of the fantasy genre, provides a brief history of the genre, and describes research and theory pertaining to the potential negative effects of violence in fantasy works.