Give your proposed topic for your research paper and a little information about it. Lydia Fish September 29, 2008, at 08:10 AM
Last week, I was originally thinking of writing my paper on popular culture and LOTR, but had difficulty in trying to find information since I didn’t have a particular idea in mind with where I wanted to go with this. I plan on writing my paper on mythology and LOTR. Right now, it is a very broad topic and I haven’t been able to narrow it down, but I have been able to find a lot more information. Once I go through it all, I will be able to more clearly define my topic. I found a lot of information on Tolkien and the invention of myth, but I will have to narrow this down more. I found some interesting articles that I would like to incorporate into my paper. One of them is titled “Elves (and Hobbits) always refer to the Sun as She.” A general summary on this article stated that this is a myth and it references to a sun god. I also found an article on the myth of the Ent and Entwife, which I would also like to discuss. I will post again once I can clearly define my research topic. Sarah Chudyk?
Dear Sarah
Your topic was due last week; your annotated preliminary bibliography is due tonight.
Mythology and LOTR is a huge topic, much too big for a term paper, or, indeed for a doctoral dissertation. Even the mythology which Tolkien himself created has occupied scholars for entire careers. I suggest that you narrow your topic down and get a preliminary bibliography posted by the end of the weekend. Lydia Fish October 16, 2008, at 05:33 PM
In my paper, I would like to generally discuss the creation of Tolkien’s myth based on the information that I have found. This information contains the fundamental ideas that Tolkien incorporated into his myth. I would like to focus on some of the fundamentals, with two of the major ideas being the use and importance of language in Tolkien’s myth and the incorporation of Christianity. I would like to use these as subtopics in my paper. I also have found a few different articles that give specific examples in LOTR and of myths that Tolkien uses, which will be used to support the fundamentals of Tolkien’s creation of myth. My goal in this paper is to present some of the fundamentals of Tolkien’s myth-making, have a general discussion on them, and give specific examples to show how these fundamentals are incorporated into LOTR.
Dear Sarah
Please sign your posts!
This topic is extremely vague and MUCH too big for a short research paper. In order to write on this topic you would need to read the Silmarillion and have at least a working knowledge of the thirteen volumes of The History of Middle-Earth. Please talk to me about this before or after class. Lydia Fish October 23, 2008, at 08:51 AM
I have finally come up with a more specific topic for my research paper after doing a lot of research. I would like to write my paper on Tolkien’s invention of language and its incorporation into The Lord of the Rings. The emphasis of this paper will be on his invention of the Elvish languages. There are many elements of language that are important to discuss when writing about the invention of the Elvish languages. I plan on discussing the invention of names for people and places in LOTR and their meaning. I would also like to very generally discuss other elements of language, including prose style, grammar, dialects, gender association with words, and sounds of words. All of these were of high importance when Tolkien created his languages. These elements then influence how Tolkien writes his Elvish languages, which is then incorporated into LOTR. Sarah Chudyk?
I have changed my topic to comparing Tolkien’s elves and motifs with those of Shakespeare (for example, what he may have borrowed from Macbeth and comparing the fae found in A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Though, I do have a question: when Shakespeare writes about fairies, is that interchangeable with elves? Can I make the comparison using a character like the troublesome Puck, saying that mythical creatures often caused trouble, while Tolkien dignifies them?
Devon Cozad? October 13, 2008, at 06:14 PM
Dear Devon
This is a workable topic. I think one could consider elves as a subset of fairies.
first thing you need to do is get hold of a copy of Fairies in English Tradition and Literature by Katherine Briggs. (I may not have this title quite right. But Briggs is definitely THE expert on fairies in English folklore.) There should also be quite a few articles on this topic in scholarly journals.
You may want to expand your comparative base beyond Shakespeare, since he really doesn’t deal much with fairies outside of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. (Although there are references elsewhere, most notably Tybalt’s “Queen Mab Speech” in Romeo and Juliet.) Lydia Fish October 16, 2008, at 08:15 AM
I have changed my topic to female gender roles in The Lord of the Rings. I will explore the roles of Arwen, Galadriel, Eowyn, Goldberry, Rosie Cotton, Shelob and possibly other female characters of different races. Some roles of these women include heroism and symbolism. I will introduce my paper by talking about Tolkien’s view of women and how some critics have said he is sexist. Through deep discussions of strong women characters, my paper will ultimately prove these critics wrong. Emily Marvin? October 09, 2008, at 11:30 PM
Good topic!
I have officially changed my topic to “nature in The Lord of the Rings. See my comments below for more info! Kelsey Till October 09, 2008, at 07:27 PM
This should be a workable topic. Tolkien’s descriptions of nature are some of the best writing in LOTR IMHO. Lydia Fish October 10, 2008, at 03:43 PM
The Creatures of Middle Earth
I’m interested in the creatures that Tolkien developed to put in his books. When Angela Fulk came to our class I was inspired to find if the origins of these creatures were at all similar to the Ents and Orcs that he seemingly adapted from Beowulf and other Angelo Saxon sources. I want to find learn the origins for the Balrogs, Giant Spiders, Eagles, Wargs, Olifants, etc. Not only in the history of Middle Earth, but also where Tolkien got the ideas from. I also want to briefly touch on the Valar and Maiar spirits because I find them incredibly interesting and becasue they are linked to Middle Earth’s creatures. (Balrogs are Maiar, as is the ancestor of Shelob). Brian Nacov October 09, 2008, at 12:14 PM
Interesting topic! For the Maiar and the Valar you are going to have to read (gasp) the Silmarillion. For the rest I would suggest doing a bibliographical search before you make a final decision. I should think there should be plenty of scholarly material available, but you need to to make sure.
Have you ever read Rowlings’s charming little work on Magical Creatures? Lydia Fish October 09, 2008, at 02:32 PM
Who is the true protagonist through the Lord of the Rings
I will try to determine who is the true protagonist in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I will take evidence from both the film and novels and maybe if determine if one source suggests a certain protagonist against the other. I will talk about what would be the supporting and excluding details for each of the three possible protagonist characters, which I believe are Aragorn, Frodo, and Sam. At the conclusion of my paper, I will name who I feel is the most likely the protagonist based on the evidence I collected.
Donald Turner October 09, 2008, at 12:50 PM
Before you make a final decision about this topic, I think you need to do a bibliographical search of the scholarly materials available on the subject. Remember this is to be a research paper, not an opinion piece!
There is a fascinating article on the “wise warrior” which argues that the true heroes are Faramir and Eowyn, who fight only in defense of their people. The author compares them to Hermione, who, she feels, plays the same part in the Harry Potter books. Lydia Fish October 09, 2008, at 02:32 PM
The role of Ancestry.
I am curious to find out the importance ancestors played in the three novels. Many kings are mentioned as well as long dead relatives, so I aim to find the superstitious belief in family. Does Tolkien’s emphasis on history relate to the glory of medieval dynasty and honor, or does he take a more eastern approach with ancestors constantly looking over the living realm. I suppose I will delving into the realm of Tolkien’s supernatural aspect in his works. Eligh Hanning October 09, 2008, at 12:47 PM
Dear Eligh
An interesting topic! I think before making a final decision you need to do a bibliographical search of the scholarship on this topic. You will also probably need to read the Silmarillion.
Poetry of J.R.R Tolkien
I would like to look farther into the significance of the poetry, sung or spoken, of the Lord of the Rings. It often appears that these excerpts are used as oral history, to pass on knowledge over the ages of Middle Earth. I would also like to tie this into how Tolkien’s Angelo-Saxon research relied on this type of history.
Sarah McNutt
Sarah, PLEASE put your wiki posts at the TOP of the page and sign them with four tildes! (This is a tilde ~)
Please read the comments I sent you by ANGEL mail. A study of the poetry and songs included in LOTR would be interesting and I think there is enough scholarship on the subject for a research paper. Including Tolkien’s studies of Anglo-Saxon poetry would probably make your topic too big for a research paper — it would be a better topic for a thesis or dissertation.
However, you should read Tolkien’s essay on Beowulf before you make a decision. It is entitled “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics” and has been reprinted several times, most recently in a paperback edition entitled The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays.
I want to investigate the different species, and how their different cultures effect which sort of weapon, and fighting-style they use. For instance, The Dwarves use axes, and fight primarily on foot; whereas the men of Rohan use short swords and battle on horseback. I’m sure Tolkien did this for a reason, but I’m more interested in real-world parallels, and why certain cultures use certain weaponry.
Joseph Bella? October 03, 2008, at 07:17 PM
Dear Joseph
This is an excellent topic. There is at least one full-length book on the topic and there are some chapters in the “fan books” published when the films were released. I think I have a list — ask me at class next week. Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:26 AM
My research paper would be about the influences from Tolkien’s experiences during the World Wars and how they impacted his thinking, writing, characters, and themes in his writings about Middle Earth. He was also accused of being very allegorical in his writings even though it wasn’t intentional in his mind, and he refused to acknowledge any relationship between the two; an example being the ring compared to nuclear power. Lauren Brych? October 01, 2008, at 04:28 PM
Good topic Lauren!
There are a lot of good scholarly articles on this topic, so your research should not be difficult. Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:26 AM
The Parallels of Christain themes between The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings
I have changed the Topic of my research paper. Instead of the paper being a comparism of war in The chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, it would rather compare christian themes in both books. My topic is listed above.
The Parallels of War between The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.
The paper would be on the parallels of war that can be observed in the wars presented in both the books of J. R. R Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. The Lord of the Rings (books 2 and 3) and The Chronicles of Narnia (books 2 and 3). The paper would mainly focus on the similarities and differences between the wars scene presented in both books. What the wars accomplished and the role they played in the struggle between good and evil. What influenced the authors’ view on wars and how each one interpreted their influences differently in their books would also be analyzed. An example would be how each author presents the end of war in their books. In the war of the ring by Tolkien, many lives are lost and evil still persists while in the first Great War of Narnia; the dead are raised back to life by Aslan in order to revive the vitality of Narnia after evil had been destroyed. The ideas the authors try to convey to their readers through their presentations of war and the morals to be learned from these events as they are presented in the books would also be discussed. Trudy Antwi September 30, 2008, at 06:13 PM
Dear Trudy
This is an interesting topic. We are having a library class this week to learn how to find sources for your papers and I think you should do a bibliography search before you make a final decision. I’m just not sure how much has been written on your topic.
If you do this topic, you should start by reading John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold of Middle-earth and having a good look at his bibliography. Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:26 AM
Christian imagery in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings
I saw this topic online while looking for ideas and it jumped out at me. One specific interest of mine in this subject is Gandalf’s death and then reappearance. I am sure that even though war has a big impact in the trilogy, Christianity will also prove to have its influences and appearances.
Keilah Bradley October 01, 2008, at 05:06 PM
Dear Keilah
This is a good topic and there is a LOT of scholarly writing on the topic, so you should have no trouble finding excellent books and scholarly articles for your bibliography. Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:26 AM
Racism and Lord of the Rings
I have only briefly searched on this topic but it seems that this is something that a lot of people have written on. I am going to look more into it
Elizabeth Delano? October 01, 2008, at 05:20 PM
Dear Elizabeth
There has been a lot of writing on this topic, but I would suggest that you have a look at some of it before you make a final decision. Most of it that I have read is pretty weak — we have the evidence of Tolkien’s own letters and the testimony of his friends that he was no racist. But you could certainly look at the history of the writings on the topic if you like.
I had a student who did an excellent paper on the topic a few years ago — check it out at www.tolkiwiki.org. Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:26 AM
Anti-Semitism in the Lord of the Rings
I haven’t researched this topic yet. I just wanted to throw the idea out there. Steven Wilser? October 01, 2008, at 07:11 PM
Dear Steven
See my comments to Elizabeth, above. There has been some scholarly writing trying to prove that LOTR contains racist elements, but IMHO it is pretty weak. However, as I said to Elizabeth, you could do the history of this idea if you wanted to. However, I think you would have a really hard time trying to find any scholarship on the topic of anti-Semitism in LOTR.
My suggestion is: find another topic! Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:26 AM
New topic:
Anglo-Saxon and Medieval influences on the Lord of the Rings Steven Wilser? October 08, 2008, at 07:43 PM
Dear Steven
This is a HUGE topic, much more appropriate for a thesis or a dissertation.
You might limit it to the influence of Anglo-Saxon literature on LOTR, but even that would be a lot to tackle. Before you make a decision about this topic you should do a bibliographical search (you can do that in class tonight) and read Tolkien’s essay “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics.” It has been reprinted several times, most recently in a paperback edition entitled The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays. Lydia Fish October 09, 2008, at 08:42 AM
I currently have two ideas for my research paper: either a look at the physical landscape of the movies and perhaps some history of New Zealand and what this location brought to the film (I saw that there was some information on this in the special features), or the mythology behind the three books, and what Tolkien incorporated from these popular myths, although he denied many of his influences. Please let me know which topic you think would be the most beneficial and informative. Kelsey Till October 01, 2008, at 07:47
Dear Kelsey
There really is not enough scholarly material to do a paper on the landscape of the films.
The mythology behind the films is Tolkien’s. He denied being influenced by Shakespeare and Wagner, among others, but never made any comments on “popular myths.” If you want to look at the mythology behind LOTR you need to start by reading the Silmarillion and you need a working knowledge of the thirteen volumes known collectively as “The History of Middle-earth.” I have had one or two excellent papers on Tolkien’s mythology, but they were by students who had read these books before they started the course.
There are some scholarly articles on the topic that you should look at and you should definitely read chapters four and five in Shippey’s ‘’J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century before making a final decision about your topic. Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:43 AM
I actually had another thought about what I could focus on for the paper: researching the connection between Tolkien and nature? I know that in a few of the movies which we have watched in class there are connections between where Tolkien grew up and the fact that the movie contrasts good (natural landscapes, Gandalf and those of his cause) with evil (the machinery and falsity of Sauron). I suppose that I could also incorporate some information about the war which Tolkien was involved in and the Industrial Age of war. Kelsey Till October 07, 2008, at 08:39 PM
There has been a good deal written on Tolkien’s feelings about nature and his effect on the environmental movement. Start by reading Defending Middle-earth by Patrick Curry. Lydia Fish October 12, 2008, at 10:36 AM
I was either thinking of writing my paper on transformations seen throughout the series, such as Aragorn’s transformation from Ranger into King of Gondor or Smeagol’s change into Golem and how the powers of good/evil played a role in it. My second idea was exploring how colors provide insight into a character or thing’s ability/strength/worth, not really sure how to phrase it. But I notice how Gandalf the White is a more powerful person than Gandalf the Grey, how Saruman becomes of many colors, etc. Also how anything black is related with evil. Devon Cozad? October 01, 2008, at 10:17 PM
Dear Devon
Both of these topics are really too narrow for a research paper. Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:43 AM
I was really interested in the character of Tom Bombadil while reading The Lord of the Rings. I’d like to center my paper around him and what he is, or who he is. He seems different from all the other characters and I’d really like to research what he represents. I don’t have a clear idea of exactly what my paper will focus on because I don’t know much about Tom yet. Any suggestions would be a huge help!
Annika Laughlin? October 01, 2008, at 10:35 PM
Dear Annika
I would suggest doing a bibliographical search (you will learn how to do this in our library class this week) on Tom before making a final decision. He is an extremely interesting character, but I am not sure how much has been written about him. Did you know that Jackson considered bringing him in to perform Sam and Rosie’s wedding? Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:43 AM
Elves and their History
I have been looking at information on Elves and their history according to J.R.R. Tolkien. I find a lot of the information on Elves to be really interesting. This is a broad topic with a lot of information but I plan on focusing on something more specific but I am not sure what yet. Carly Lopez
Dear Carly
This is a good topic, but it is HUGE. Read chapter five of J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century to get some idea of the scope of the topic. You would need to read the Silmarillion, plus some scholarly articles on the topic. If you are on for a lot of reading, go for it! Lydia Fish October 07, 2008, at 10:31 AM
The Enklings, Howard Shore or Evil Creatures
I want to research about Tolkien and his literary friends, including C.S. Lewis, and how they were each influenced in their personal experiences to write what they did. I would also like to include a comparison of C.S. Lewis’s world of Narnia with that of Middle Earth. I am also considering researching about Howard Shore’s soundtracks for the movies because I was very impressed how they set the mood for varies sections of the plot. Another possible topic would be to explore Tolkien’s construction of the evil creatures, such as the orcs, goblins, and their dwellings.
Emily Marvin? October 02, 2008, at 05:37 PM
The Inklings would be a good topic. There are lots of scholarly articles and at least one book — there is also a book on Tolkien and Lewis.
The music would be hard to do unless you have some technical knowledge and there isn’t a lot of scholarly writing on the topic.
The construction of Tolkien’s evil creatures would, I think, be too big a topic for a research paper. He drew on a huge number of sources from folklore, saga, heroic and medieval romance literature in a LOT of languages. Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:43 AM
The Art of Lord of the Rings
I would like to focus on the different art generated from the trilogy. I will obviously discuss TOlkiens own drawings as well as John Howe’s drawings. I would also like to include the concept art used for the movies and the various versions they had for many characters. I will draw heavily on the extended edition movies and the galleries that are included. Brittany Thrun? October 02, 2008, at 05:34 PM]]
Dear Brittany
Good topic, but you will not be able to depend primarily on the films and the galleries. There are lots of books on the art associated with LOTR — Alan Lee and John Howe are only the beginning. You may have to depend pretty heavily on interlibrary loan. Lydia Fish October 05, 2008, at 11:43 AM
