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Roleplaying: Of Artistic Value?

Roleplaying, a subject that some are familiar with whilst others aren't, it is a subject that has been in the shadows for quite some time. Quoting from Wikipedia, in roleplaying, participants adopt and act out the role of characters, or parts, that may have personalities, motivations and backgrounds different from their own. Some have stated that roleplaying is much like a drama, improvising and acting under the guise of another person whilst others have said that it is a form of literature.

In favour of the idea that roleplaying is a form of literature, we must first grasp the concept of roleplaying in gaming. On a wide number of forums, characters are expected to fill out a character sheet whilst gives the details of a character, whether that be their appearance, personality or background, it often differs but the principle remains that one is writing the form of the character and becoming this character instead of the writer. As one indulges in roleplaying, it becomes evident that the writer has become the character, their thoughts and actions being that of the character rather than their own. Literature is, defined by wordnet, is creative writing of recognised artistic value and thus, we must ask ourselves, is roleplaying of recognised artistic value? Can we even state what is of recognised artistic value?

Essays are often discredited because of the theories implied within them but are still considered of recognised artistic value, can the same principle be applied to roleplaying? Roleplaying is a form of escapism as is reading but some forms are discredited because of implications but it is of artistic value because one places thought and consideration into the matter. If we are to recognise that roleplaying is a form of literature, are there other subjects that we have discredited but should still be considered a form of recognised artistic value?

To perceive that roleplaying is similar to an improvisational drama, we must consider the concepts; there are characters, plots and storylines to a drama as there is with some roleplaying forums, writers are acting out their characters and it becomes a tale of two or more characters, learning of one another or developing a character's traits to its fullest intent. The question remains, is roleplaying of recognised artistic value or is it no more than the scribblings of an adult, attempting to escape the real world?

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