John Stann
A Journey in the Dark: Allegory and The Lord of the Rings
LTC Ticen
Background and Rationale:
I have loved The Lord of the Rings since I read it the first time when I was 11 years old. In COL Miller’s British Literature Class, there was an assignment where I had to write and pick a side and show how The Man Who Would Be King, was either an allegory for or against imperialism. I decided to take a different approach and said that the story was not allegorical and instead, that it was just a story. I feel like this background has prepared me to write on if The Lord of the Rings is an allegory or not. My background as a Catholic is important to me as well and will help me provide a deeper understanding into how The Lord of the Rings was and wasn’t influenced by the Catholic church. I believe that this project will be around 15 pages in length.
Abstract:
What actually makes a piece of literature an allegory? This is the background and overall question that I will be asking as I focus this question specifically on The Lord of the Rings. Despite the author JRR Tolkien himself stating that he “Cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations.” This subject has been discussed and debated countless times over the years but there still has not been any definitive conclusion as to if the books are an allegory or not. I will argue that author intent is important when determining if a novel is allegorical specifically using the characters of Aragorn, Gandalf and Frodo to prove that The Lord of the Rings is not allegorical. I believe that author intent is important in determining if a piece of fiction is allegorical, I will attempt to show that while The Lord of the Rings was influenced by Tolkien’s Catholic background it still is not allegorical.
Annotated Bibliography:
Chance, Jane, editor. Tolkien and the Invention of Myth: a Reader. Univ Pr Of Kentucky, 2010.
Jane Chance is an editor who has edited many books focusing on medieval literature, culture and modern fantasy novels, including JRR Tolkien, George RR. Martin (Game of Thrones) and Aurthurian Legends. This book will help my project because it outlines and gives information on the background and where Tolkien got inspiration for Lord of the Rings, including his religion and Norse Mythology.
Kerry, Paul E. The Ring and the Cross: Christianity and the Lord of the Rings. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2011.
This source is focused on JRR Tolkien and how Catholicism influenced his writings and the major themes and interpretations other scholars have made about Christianity’s influence in The Lord of the Rings.
Loconte, Joseph. Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War. Thomas Nelson Pub, 2017.
This book, while focused more on the influences World War One had on the Lord of the Rings and the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, it does have chapters that focus on Tolkien’s Christian background and how it helped shape his books.
Fisher, Jason. Tolkien and the Study of His Sources: Critical Essays. McFarland, 2011.
This source will help me find out more about what inspired Tolkien. Jason Fisher is an author who focuses on JRR Tolkien and his artistic club, the Inklings. He has written 4 books on JRR Tolkien and C.S Lewis and has contributed numerous essays and articles to various collections.
Ryken, Philip Graham. The Messiah Comes to Middle-Earth: Images of Christ’s Threefold Office in The Lord of the Rings. IVP Academic, an Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 201
This source argues that the Lord of the Rings is an allegory and believes that this can be best seen in the threefold messianic offices of priest prophet and king. He believes that Gandalf is the prophet, Frodo as the priest and Aragorn as the king. He believes that Gandalf is seen as a prophet because he is in Middle Earth to move others to action, Frodo is a priest because of the sacrifices he must make in order to get the ring to Mount Doom and Aragorn as king because Aragorn has lost his kingdom and must regain it.
GLOVER, WILLIS B. “The Christian Character of Tolkien’s Invented World.” Criticism, vol. 13, no. 1, 1971, pp. 39–53.
This source will help me understand more about the Christian influences of Tolkien’s world. While Lord of the Rings is a Christian work, there is a difference between being influenced by something and being allegorical.
Morrow, Jeffrey L. “J.r.r. Tolkien As a Christian for Our Times.” Evangelical Review of Theology, vol. 29, no. 2, 2005.
This source is another source that argues for seeing Jesus Christ in the characters of Aragorn, Gandalf and Frodo, this author argues that Gandalf is a Christ-like character because of the sacrifice of his life, Aragorn, according to Mr. Morrow, is a Christ-like figure because of when he descended to the paths of the dead and came back out alive, and finally Frodo is a Christ-like figure because of the burden that he must carry, i.e the ring, is similar to the Cross.
Fletcher, Angus. Allegory: The Theory of a Symbolic Mode. Cornell University Press, 1964.
This book shall help me to identify different aspects of Allegory and what allegory actually is in literature. This is important for when I define what an allegory is and if the Lord of the Rings is an allegory and how Tolkien used his Christian influences to write the Lord of the Rings which is different from an allegory.