Anglo-Saxon Community in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings by Dr. Deborah A. Higgens, PhD will add to the field of Tolkien scholarship a detailed study of how Tolkien entered into the community of Anglo-Saxon storytellers as a scholar and critic, but also as an insider. Embracing elements of a lifestyle he valued, yet which he viewed as diminishing in modern-day England and in the rest of the world, J.R.R. Tolkien hearkens back to a literary community shrouded in mystery and Faerie, from Beowulf and other Anglo-Saxon poetry to medieval legend. Tolkien enters that community both as a critic, examining lost elements of a heroic society, and as an insider, recasting, as did ancient authors, the elements of Story, to create his own great fairy-story. While much has been written on medievalism in Tolkien's works, this research adds to the field a detailed explanation of the Anglo-Saxon mindset in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (LOTR). In his sub-creation, Tolkien draws from the same Cauldron of Story from which the Anglo-Saxon poets drew, as illustrated by an examination of Tolkien's two critical essays: "On Fairy-Stories" and "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics." Tolkien discusses the manner in which the Beowulf poet created his poem, and it is evident that the same principles can be applied to demonstrate how Tolkien created his own great fairy-story as he integrates the ancient themes of the Anglo-Saxon mead hall, the lord as gift-giver, and the comitatus bond in his creation of the Rohirrim. In the role of the cup-bearer, Old English poetry predominately reflects aristocratic women, and Tolkien illustrates this aspect in LOTR through the characters of Galadriel and Eowyn. Tolkien's work is as original as that of medieval authors because he built on ancient themes and structure, used their modes and genres, and chose similar mythic elements to weave his own tale. The decline of mead-hall society is reflected in Old English poetry, and Tolkien's fiction embodies a sense of that loss, preserving for his audience, as did the Beowulf poet, this ancient society and its heroic values.

Tolkien's famous translations and lectures on the story of two fifth-century heroes in northern Europe. Professor J.R.R.Tolkien is most widely known as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but he was also a distinguished scholar in the field of Mediaeval English language and literature. His most significant contribution to Anglo-Saxon studies is to be found in his lectures on Finn and Hengest (pronounced Hen-jist), two fifth-century heroes in northern Europe. The story is told in two Old English poems, Beowulf and The Fights at Finnesburg, but told so obscurely and allusively that its interpretation had been a matter of controversy for over 100 years. Bringing his unique combination of philological erudition and poetic imagination to the task, however, Tolkien revealed a classic tragedy of divided loyalties, of vengeance, blood and death. Tolkien's original and persuasive solution of the many problems raised by the story ranged widely through the early history and legend of the Germanic peoples. The story has the added attraction that it describes the events immediately preceding the first Germanic invasion of Britain which was led by Hengest himself. This book will be of interest not only to students of Old English and all those interested in the history of northern Europe and Anglo-Saxon England, but also admirers of The Lord of the Rings who will be fascinated to see how Tolkien handled a story which he did not invent.

A philologist and medieval scholar, J. R. R. Tolkien never intended to write immensely popular literature that would challenge traditional ideas about the nature of great literature and that was worthy of study in colleges across the world. He set out only to write a good story, the kind of story he and his friends would enjoy reading. In The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien created an entire world informed by his vast knowledge of mythology, languages, and medieval literature. In the 1960s, his books unexpectedly gained cult status with a new generation of young, countercultural readers. Today, the readership for Tolkien's absorbing secondary world--filled with monsters, magic, adventure, sacrifice, and heroism--continues to grow. Part 1 of this volume, "Materials," introduces instructors to the rich array of resources available for teaching Tolkien, including editions and criticism of his fiction and scholarship, historical material on his life and times, audiovisual materials, and film adaptations of his fiction. The essays in part 2, "Approaches," help instructors introduce students to critical debates around Tolkien's work, its sources, its influence, and its connection to ecology, religion, and science. Contributors draw on interdisciplinary approaches to outline strategies for teaching Tolkien in a wide variety of classroom contexts.

"An examination of the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien as a defense of the literary, philosophical, political, and religious foundations of Western society"--Half t.p.

The definitive Tolkien companion—an indispensable guide to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and more, from the author of The Road to Middle-earth. This “highly erudite celebration and exploration of Tolkien’s works [is] enormous fun,” declared the Houston Chronicle, and Tom Shippey, a prominent medievalist and scholar of fantasy, “deepens your understanding” without “making you forget your initial, purely instinctive response to Middle-earth and hobbits.” In a clear and accessible style, Shippey offers a new approach to Tolkien, to fantasy, and to the importance of language in literature. He breaks down The Lord of the Rings as a linguistic feast for the senses and as a response to the human instinct for myth. Elsewhere, he examines The Hobbit’s counterintuitive relationship to the heroic world of Middle-earth; demonstrates the significance of The Silmarillion to Tolkien’s canon; and takes an illuminating look at lesser-known works in connection with Tolkien’s life. Furthermore, he ties all these strands together in a continuing tradition that traces its roots back through Grimms’ Fairy Tales to Beowulf. “Shippey’s commentary is the best so far in elucidating Tolkien’s lovely myth,” wrote Harper’s Magazine. J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century is “a triumph” (Chicago Sun-Times) that not only gives readers a deeper understanding of Tolkien and his work, but also serves as an entertaining introduction to some of the most influential novels ever written.