Ecology, Eucatastrophe, and Estel:
Themes of Joy and Hope in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Use of Botanical Elements and Imagery
Thesis abstract:
J. R. R. Tolkien’s tales about Middle-earth were designed to provide a conceivable mythological history for the existing world. Due to this intentional connection, his secondary, fictional world reflects many familiar primary world experiences in both physical and metaphysical aspects. As a reader and writer of fairy-stories, Tolkien desired to present life as simultaneously touched by grief and joy, thus creating his concept of the eucatastrophe. As someone who loved nature and especially plants, Tolkien infused Middle-earth with a remarkable variety of botanical life, not only to inform the landscape, but also to communicate some of his most significant themes. The high value Tolkien placed on flowers, herbs, and trees moved him to feature them in active roles in his stories and to portray them as independent, influential members of a living world. This paper explores several key ways in which Tolkien used plants in Middle-earth: as setters of environment and mood, as communicators of a location’s good or evil nature, as instigators of joy through eucatastrophic deliverance, and as symbols of abiding hope, which Tolkien called in Elvish estel.
Kimberly McKinney bio:
An avid reader from an early age, Kimberly studied biology and journalism in college, with plans to become a science writer. In time, however, the writing side won out, and she began pursuing a part-time career as a book editor while embarking on a full-time career of homeschooling her children. In 2021, she joined the Signum family in the MA program to expand her knowledge of language and literature, especially fantasy literature, and to sharpen her abilities to communicate and teach. Her interests span a broad range, including the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, medieval Germanic languages, and modern methods of textual study. Kimberly and her husband have also authored and self-published a growing number of fantasy novels together. She lives with her family and four cats in South Carolina, USA.
