Tolkien has been called THE author of the 20th century, producing a ground-breaking fantasy work that includes at least six invented languages, some of which are not translated, poetry, and artwork. A philologist (a linguistic and literary profession that no longer exists) and a devout Catholic, he once described The Lord of the Rings as “profoundly Christian.” In this course we’ll explore his world, addressing topics such as the nature of evil (does the Ring amplify the evil that lies within its wearer, or does it actually make the wearer evil?), what heroism looks like (are heroes born or made?), the “interlacements” of plot that make his story and his world so rich, the importance of language, and the meanings of certain words that we gloss over today. We’ll be referring to both The Hobbit and LOTR, and familiarity with these books is helpful but not required.
((Allison Thompson - In Person: CMU Campus - Tuesday))
