Genres vs. Subgenres

In order to make the distinction between genres and subgenres clearer, below I have provided definitions of each from the Internet in an attempt to demonstrate why steampunk does not fit into either classification. From my research, I discovered that most people tend to dismiss steampunk as a genre and gravitate predominantly towards classifying it as a subgenre. However, I find issue with the subgenre classification, and I will explain why:

WHAT IS A GENRE?

“Genre…is any category of literature or other forms of art or entertainment, e.g. music, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time as new genres are invented and the use of old ones are discontinued. Often, works fit into multiple genres by way of borrowing and recombining these conventions”

Although steampunk is fairly new compared to other “genres” and “subgenres,” steampunk conventions (as I will detail in a near-future blog) are far too rigid to show any signs of changing any time soon. Avid members of the steampunk community especially, as we discussed in class, are extremely protective of its conventions and often target other steampunkers who they believe are not representing steampunk appropriately. If a genre is intended to be fluid, then steampunk cannot possibly be a genre because by criticizing others for reimagining steampunk in their own unique ways, the fluidity necessary for the “genre” classification is not achievable.

Citation: “Genre.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 10 Apr. 2015. Web. 09 Apr. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genre> 

WHAT IS A SUBGENRE?

“A sub-genre is a sub-category of a specific genre, and can apply to literature, music, film, theater, video games, or other forms of art. Genres were created to classify artistic works into descriptive categories, and a sub-genre breaks down those categories into more defined subjects”

As I will demonstrate when I provide my list of conventions necessary for a work to be considered “steampunk” in a near-future blog, while it is true that steampunk breaks down the descriptive categories of genres such as science fiction and fantasy into more “defined” subjects, these definitions go beyond further classification into a mess of highly specific criterion that leaves little wiggle room for creative intervention. In my next blog I will provide more examples of subgenres, but for the purpose of this explanation I will use an example of a subgenre in fantasy. “Mythic” is one such example of a subgenre that falls under fantasy. This subgenre is classified as taking place on our familiar Earth and incorporating existing myths. Specific? Yes. Unmanageably specific to the point of insanity like steampunk is? No.

Citation: Black, Jessica. “What is a sub-genre?.” wiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation, 31 Mar. 2015. Web. 09 Apr. 2015. <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-sub-genre.htm.>