EXCO 435 - Tolkien 101

2 credits
This exco will explore the biography and scholarly field of J.R.R. Tolkien in relation to the world he creates in his most well-known saga, The Lord of The Rings. It is geared towards those who have a fair interest in Tolkien’s books or the movies. The class will primarily be looking at the mythological world in relation to its author; a trained Philologist, Tolkien studied and knew many languages, and was an expert on numerous primary source-texts. How might the author’s history, environment, and scholastic background have informed his works? To answer this, we will read The Silmarillion, both enjoyably and critically; this text will found the first goal, to develop a strong level of understanding of Tolkien’s Legendarium, the mythology’s most decisive moments, and its impact on readers back then and today.

Charlie Haynsworth
chaynswo@oberlin.edu
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