War and the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien

by Janet Brennan Croft

Overview

J.R.R. Tolkien, one of the world's most beloved authors, was a World War I signaling officer who survived the Battle of the Somme, and two of his sons served during World War II.

Such experiences and events led Tolkien to a complex attitude toward war and military leadership, the themes of which find their way into his most important writings. His fiction, criticism, and letters demonstrate a range of attitudes that would change over the course of his life. In the end, his philosophy on human nature and evil, and the inevitability of conflict, would appear to be pragmatic and rational, if regretful and pessimistic. Croft explores the different aspect of Tolkien's relationship with war both in his life and in his work from the early Book of Lost Tales to his last story Smith of Wootten Major, and concentrating on his greatest and most well-known works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This valuable consideration of war in the life of Tolkien is essential reading for all readers interested in deepening their understanding of this great writer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798765123317
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/18/2024
Series:	Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	609,896
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.43(d)

About the Author

Janet Brennan Croft is Associate University Librarian at the University of Northern Iowa. She has written on many topics in fantasy and popular culture, and is the editor of the refereed scholarly journal Mythlore.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
The Great War and Tolkien's Memory
World War I Themes in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
World War II: "The Young Parish and the Old Linger, Withering"
Military Leaders and Leadership
"The Dull Backwaters of the Art of Killing": Training, Tactics, Strategy, and Battlefield Communication
"War Must Be, While We Defend Our Lives": Philosophy, Pathology and Conclusions
Works Cited
Index
About the Author