INSTRUCTORS:
How did Tolkien’s imagination evolve over time? What did Tolkien think about fairy tales, and how did he show this in his scholarly work and in his fiction?
In this course, students will read Tolkien’s two critical essays, Beowulf, The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings to explore how his world and his myth developed over time. There are three interim exams, one on the essays and Beowulf, one on The Silmarillion, one on The Hobbit, plus a two-hour final exam on The Lord of the Rings; individual preceptors may vary this plan to reach learning outcomes. Each exam builds on the one before it. All are open book, open notes. The goal is not to test your memory, but to get you to think deeply and critically about the material and the relationships among the works. You should know more at the end of each exam than you did before you started.
Course Schedule
Week 1 – Tolkien and Tragedy
“Beowulf: The Monsters & Critics”
Week 2 – Tolkien’s Beowulf
- Scyld Scefing ll. 1-85
- Grendel ll. 86-193,632-689, 1761-1768
- the dragon ll. 2231-2271, ll. 2510-2845, ll 3076-3182
Week 3 – Tolkien and Faërie
“On Fairy-stories”
First Exam
Week 4 – Tolkien and Mythology
The Silmarillion: “Ainulindalë,” “Beginning of Days”
Week 5 – Tolkien and Mythology II
Fëanor, Beren, Túrin
Second Exam
Week 6 – Tolkien and Children’s Books
The Hobbit: green suns & inner consistency
Third Exam
Week 7 – The Masterwork
- LotR Preface, the Red Book, the framing concept
- Book 1: Frodo & the Ring
Week 8 – The Masterwork II
Book 2: Caradhras, Moria, Lórien, Amon Hen
Week 9 – The Masterwork III
Book 3: Boromir, Theoden, Treebeard, Helm’s Deep & Isengard
Week 10 – The Masterwork IV
Book 4: Gollum
Week 11 – The Masterwork V
Book 5: Pippin & Denethor, Merry & Eowyn, the Black Gate
Week 12 – The Masterwork VI
Book 6: Cirith Ungol, Mt. Doom, The Scouring, Grey Havens
Final Exam
Required Texts
Many of you probably already have one or more of Tolkien’s works. If you want to use the ones you have, please do! The links are provided for convenience only, and we encourage students to purchase texts wherever they wish.
- The Monsters and the Critics – J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Silmarillion – J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
- Beowulf – translated by Howell D. Chickering*
* Chickering translation is required – please do not substitute another translation, such as Burton Raffel or Seamus Heaney or the Norton edition
Course History
This course has been offered in the following semesters.
| Semester | Preceptor(s) |
|---|---|
| Spring 2022 | Dr. Sara Brown & Sparrow Alden |
| Spring 2019 | Sparrow Alden |
| Spring 2017 | Erin Aust & Mark Womack |
| Spring 2013 | Dr. Sara Brown & Liam Daley |
Course Artwork
Course artwork adapted from an original illustration by Breana Melvin. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
