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Hither Shore Band 9 versammelt die Vorträge des DTG Tolkien-Seminars von 2012 sowie weitere Essays und Rezensionen aktueller Veröffentlichungen aus der internationalen Tolkien-Forschung.
Tolkiens literarische Schöpfung ist nicht nur ein spannendes Abenteuerepos, sondern vielmehr ein zeitloser Appell an die Menschlichkeit und Moralität in uns allen, der das Genre der modernen Fantasy in bemerkenswerter Form geprägt hat. Dieses Buch zeigt auf, wie Tolkien seiner fiktiven Sekundärwelt Middle-Earth ihre einzigartige Ernsthaftigkeit und Glaubhaftigkeit verleiht und weshalb The Lord of the Rings zu einem der erfolgreichsten und einflussreichsten Bücher des vergangenen Jahrhunderts zu zählen ist. Doch auch die kritischen Stimmen bezüglich Tolkiens Werk werden näher beleuchtet und in Relation zum zeitgenössischen Umfeld des Autors sowie der klassischen Literaturtradition gesetzt. So erschließt diese Abhandlung die mythologischen und religiösen Quellen für Tolkiens imaginäres Universum und ergründet die tief verwurzelte und vielschichtige Symbolik von The Lord of the Rings.
Bachelor Thesis from the year 2020 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,5, University of Leipzig, language: English, abstract: This paper examines the traces of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work in today’s Fantasy literature. It is an indisputable fact that The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) is one of the most influential works of the 20th century and remains culturally relevant to this day. Today’s Fantasy literature and popular culture is so saturated and full of LOTR’s influence that it is difficult to imagine a culture without it. Even a person who has never read the original work or consumed any other adaptation of it will most likely recognise the names of Frodo, Gollum and Gandalf; and any modern reader of Fantasy literature and its branching genres like Science Fiction or Horror will know Tolkien’s name. Yet it is not just the readers who were influenced by Tolkien, on the contrary, following LOTR’s wake a whole array of authors began to write their own works, featuring fantastical worlds filled with trolls, wizards, elves, dwarves and the like. Most novels on today’s Fantasy best-seller and classics lists such as George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld or Ursula Le Guinn’s Earthsea Chronicles, to name just a select few, share definite traces of Tolkienesque elements, and, it can be argued that even those who actively dislike Tolkien and his work and thus went on to create something decidedly different are still influenced by him, even if in a spiteful sense. So, it is not a question of if there are traces of Tolkien’s work in today’s Fantasy literature, but rather to what extent. Thus, after explaining the chosen methodology and theoretical approach this paper will take to this subject, there will be a section dedicated to a pre-Tolkien world and the state of literature at the time, in an effort to fully understand the scope of Tolkien’s influence. Thereafter, a quick summary of both works will be given to introduce still unfamiliar readers to the subject matter that will later be analysed in detail. The next two chapters will deal with the analysis of all shared aspects and differences between the two works chosen, before lastly presenting a conclusion of all findings and offering a final verdict on the state of modern Fantasy literature.
Bachelor Thesis from the year 2013 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, , course: English Philology, language: English, abstract: Who really was the man who wrote the “bible of fantasy” and what about his beautifully designed world of Middle-Earth? Aim of this work is to present the problem of good and evil in Tolkien's output. His work contributed to a number of fantastic novels, films and computer games in which we can find the motif of darkness and light. The first part of my work I will dedicate as a whole to the genre of fantasy. I will present a bibliography of the outstanding English philologist and writer. I will explain the importance of the fantasy genre and discuss the origins of his works, and how these books impact on other writers. This chapter will also contain the impact of fantasy on our dreams and what we really obtain while reading fantasy literature. In the second chapter I will start with Tolkien's biography. Then I am going to characterize the world which Tolkien presented in his works. Every character has to complete a specified mission and some of them are heroes. I will discuss major characters based on hero's journey, the term coined by Joseph Campbell. Relations between them mirror relations in the real world although distant. Tolkien created in his novels everything from geography, flora and fauna, human and superhuman races to complete histories, beliefs and traditions. In the third chapter I will analyze two concepts of the world of Middle-Earth that Tolkien has created in his novels, good and evil. They fit in literature's mainstream with universal messages, except that, all of considerations are a part of the fantasy genre convention. Each of these elements has many meanings in the works of Tolkien and acts as a symbol like the One Ring which will be fully described in my work.
Seminar paper from the year 2011 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2.7, University of Cologne (Englisches Seminar), course: Onomastics, language: English, abstract: Fantasy-role-playing games resemble a part of culture dedicated to the play and shortwhile identification with fictional characters. First appearing in the 1960s, role-playing games secured a small spot in a society crowded by fans of Fantasy-, SciFi- or other fictional literature. One of the major works of fantasy-literature is 'The Lord Of The Rings', 'The Hobbit' or 'The Silmarillion' of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973). Tolkien, as a philologist of early medieval languages, created not only a range of new (and adapted) races to people his universe of Middle Earth, he also created for each race a specific language, with own grammar, vocabulary and: names. He spent great afford in creating so distinct languages that no one could misunderstand the words of the Elves as words by Dwarves, for example. This linguistic effort is supposed to play an important role in the reception of his works, and regarded to play a certain role in the influence Tolkien's works have today on other works of fantastic- and non-fantastic literature. Role-playing games resemble a part of creative and active literature, where the players tell and create stories while imaginatively acting in these worlds. For taking part in such an interactive story, one has to create an alter ego, an avatar, or just: a character. These characters are the means by which players interact in the fictional worlds, and as they are most of the time a part of their self-expression and self-conception, they are every time a sum of all the influences on the players mind and knowledge about culture and all its aspects. This paper will investigate on the influence of Tolkien's works on one particular part of role-playing games: the creation of names for those characters used to interact in fictional worlds. The assumption is that, as Tolkien is commonly regarded as a significant influence on literature and fantasy in special, his impact on the naming of fictional characters must be somehow traceable.
A detailed work of reference and scholarship, this one volume Encyclopedia includes discussions of all the fundamental issues in Tolkien scholarship written by the leading scholars in the field. Coverage not only presents the most recent scholarship on J.R.R. Tolkien, but also introduces and explores the author and scholar's life and work within their historical and cultural contexts. Tolkien's fiction and his sources of influence are examined along with his artistic and academic achievements - including his translations of medieval texts - teaching posts, linguistic works, and the languages he created. The 550 alphabetically arranged entries fall within the following categories of topics: adaptations art and illustrations characters in Tolkien's work critical history and scholarship influence of Tolkien languages biography literary sources literature creatures and peoples of Middle-earth objects in Tolkien's work places in Tolkien's work reception of Tolkien medieval scholars scholarship by Tolkien medieval literature stylistic elements themes in Tolkien's works theological/ philosophical concepts and philosophers Tolkien's contemporary history and culture works of literature
The new edition of the definitive academic companion to Tolkien’s life and literature A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien provides readers with an in-depth examination of the author’s life and works, covering Tolkien’s fiction and mythology, his academic writing, and his continuing impact on contemporary literature and culture. Presenting forty-one essays by a panel of leading scholars, the Companion analyzes prevailing themes found in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, posthumous publications such as The Silmarillion and The Fall of Arthur, lesser-known fiction and poetry, literary essays, and more. This second edition of the Companion remains the most complete and up-to-date resource of its kind, encompassing new Tolkien publications, original scholarship, The Hobbit film adaptations, and the biographical drama Tolkien. Five entirely new essays discuss the history of fantasy literature, the influence of classical mythology on Tolkien, folklore and fairytales, diversity, and Tolkien fandom. This Companion also: Explores Tolkien’s impact on art, film, music, gaming, and later generations of fantasy fiction writers Discusses themes such as mythmaking, medieval languages, nature, war, religion, and the defeat of evil Presents a detailed overview of Tolkien’s legendarium, including Middle-earth mythology and invented languages and writing systems Includes a brief chronology of Tolkien’s works and life, further reading suggestions, and end-of-chapter bibliographies A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien, Second Edition is essential reading for anyone formally studying or teaching Tolkien in academic settings, and an invaluable resource for general readers with interest in Tolkien’s works or fans of the films wanting to discover more.
Essay from the year 2012 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, University of Bielsko-Biała, language: English, abstract: Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University, a brilliant philologist, and a self-described "hobbit," J. R. R. Tolkien created two of the best-loved stories of the 20th century. "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" were recently made into multiple award-winning movies by director Peter Jackson for New Line Cinema. Is Tolkien a genius, a visionary ? This paper will figure it out by tracing Tolkien's biography and determining his influence on the generations of readers and viewers that followed him.
This comprehensive biography of the author of The Lord of the Rings explores his life and work as a pioneering linguist and writer. In The Real J.R.R. Tolkien, biographer Jesse Xander presents a complete picture of the legendary author. Beginning with Tolkien’s formative years of home-schooling, the narrative continues through the spires of Oxford, his romance with his wife-to-be on the brink of the Great War, and onwards into his phenomenal academic success and his creation of the seminal high fantasy world of Middle Earth. This thoroughly researched biography delves into Tolkien’s influences, places, friendships, triumphs and tragedies, with particular emphasis on how his remarkable life and loves forged the worlds of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Using contemporary sources and comprehensive research, The Real JRR Tolkien offers a unique insight into the life and times of one of Britain’s greatest authors, from early life to immortal legacy.
