ERH 381
4/10/20
Help Received: None
John Stann

Research Topic: Is The Lord of the Rings a Christian allegory?

Research Questions:
What is an allegory?
How important is author intent with allegory?
Is The Lord of the Rings an allegory?

Research Methodology: I plan on analyzing three different scenes for the characters Gandalf, Frodo and Aragorn, one from each of the three books in The Lord of the Rings and proving how The Lord of the Rings is not an allegory from those scenes. Before I accomplish that however, I need to show what allegory actually is and show why author intent is important when it comes to allegory.
Annotated Bibliography:
1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.
6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.