Welcome to English 4643, "The Worlds of J.R.R Tolkien"! In this class, we will explore the two facets of J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing--his creative work and his translations of older English poetry (as well as some works he never got around to translating). As a scholar, Tolkien knew that literature is like an archeological expedition full of broken shards, faded scrolls, and helmets that almost look battle-worthy. However, the gaps need to be filled by acts of scholarship and storytelling so we can see who these people were and what their dreams were made of. Tolkien’s stories and translations do exactly that—make old worlds come back to life in colorful modern (if often archaic) language, so that their stories can become our stories. While some might dismiss Tolkien as a ‘dead white male’ peddling outdated legends, the truth is much more complex, and explains why his books and characters are nearing the 100-year mark. Will they last as long as Shakespeare? Only time will tell!
Be sure to buy the books for the class, which are listed below. For Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, I ordered the Tolkien translations of each, though you can buy another version. However, it might be interesting to see how he translated them and incorporated them into his unique world view--since these works color and influenced his creative endeavors. I do encourage you to buy the book The Word Exchange, however, since some of these poems are hard to find elsewhere.
Required Texts:
- Tolkien, The
Hobbit & The Fellowship of the Ring
- Tolkien,
Translations of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- The Word
Exchange: Anglo-Saxon Poems in Translation, ed.
Greg Delanty and Michael Matto
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