ABSTRACT
The notion of fantastic has been repeatedly defined during different periods of time. It has often been discussed as part of a larger system of concepts, together with other notions, such as miraculous, supernatural, unreal or imaginary. Many scholars (for instance: Jurgis Baltrusaitis, Marcel Brion Roger Caillois, P.-G. Castex, Rene de Solier Louis Vax, Tzvetan Todorov, Silviu Angelescu, Marian Beşteliu, Sabina Ispas, Vasile Tudor Creţu, Ioan Vultur, Constantin Prut, Sergiu Pavel Dan, Petru Ursache, etc.) have provided various definitions of the term, trying to identify the characteristics of this notion. However, the fantastic is a complex concept that may be discussed in connection with the fairy tale and the novel, but not exclusively. In fact, the miraculous is more specific to the fairy tale than the fantastic, and this is another important problem brought about by the various definitions of the two terms. Scholars, however, have not succeeded in providing an accurate definition, reason why the discussion remains open.