INSTRUCTORS:
In 2000, Dr. Tom Shippey highlighted J.R.R. Tolkien’s contribution to literature, identifying him as the “Author of the Century.” Shippey makes a compelling case for the quality of Tolkien’s writing, arguing that this “rests not on mere charm or strangeness…but on a deeply serious response to what will be seen in the end as the major issues of his century: the origin and nature of evil…human existence in Middle-earth, without the support of divine Revelation; cultural relativity; and the corruptions and continuities of language.” These, he declares, “are themes which no one can afford to despise, or need be ashamed of studying.”
What is immediately apparent is that in proclaiming Tolkien as “author of the century,” Shippey situates Tolkien as an author of the twentieth century – in other words, an author who belongs to a very particular time and whose works reflect that time. Within texts such as The Lord of the Rings, the difficulties, tensions and social changes experienced during the immediate post-war period in Britain resonate strongly and add to Tolkien’s extraordinary world-building, thus offering a further dimension for reader exploration.
This course examines the ways in which Tolkien’s Middle-earth is a subcreated world in constant engagement with issues and concepts of ongoing relevance to readers, including racism, immigration, the place of women, the ongoing battle of good versus evil, environmental concerns and the rise of technology.
Weekly Outline
- Week 1: The Context of War
- Week 2: Good v. Evil: the eternal struggle
- Week 3: This land is our land part 1
- Week 4: This land is our land part 2
- Week 5: We’re in this together
- Week 6: Family ties
- Week 7: Women’s realm?
- Week 8: Strangers to ourselves
- Week 9: Who are you?
- Week 10: Nourishment
- Week 11: The rise of the machine
- Week 12: Where next? A post-modern Tolkien
Required Texts
All texts by J.R.R. Tolkien. Familiarity with these works prior to the course is assumed. The links are provided for convenience only, and we encourage students to purchase texts wherever they wish.
- The Silmarillion
- The Hobbit
- The Lord of the Rings
- The Unfinished Tales
Course History
This course has been offered in the following semesters.
| Semester | Preceptor(s) |
|---|---|
| Summer 2022 | Dr. Sara Brown & Sparrow Alden |
| Fall 2019 | Dr. Sara Brown & Erin Aust |
| Summer 2017 | Dr. Sara Brown & Mark Womack |
