Perilous Realms: Celtic and Norse in Tolkien's Middle-Earth
J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) is increasingly recognized as the most influential writer of the twentieth century. Sales of his books remain exceptionally high, and Middle-earth fan clubs flourish around the world. The massive success of the film versions made of The Lord of the Rings, and released between 2001 and 2003, have only added to his popularity.\ Throughout his life, Tolkien was acutely aware of the power of myth in shaping society; so much so, that one of his earliest ambitions as a...
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J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) is increasingly recognized as the most influential writer of the twentieth century. Sales of his books remain exceptionally high, and Middle-earth fan clubs flourish around the world. The massive success of the film versions made of The Lord of the Rings, and released between 2001 and 2003, have only added to his popularity.Throughout his life, Tolkien was acutely aware of the power of myth in shaping society; so much so, that one of his earliest ambitions as a writer was to create a mythology for England. The Middle-earth of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit was to serve as a stand-in for Britain and North-western Europe and is strongly based on a variety of influential literatures and beliefs, particularly the Celtic and Norse. Perilous Realms is the first book to focus consistently on the ways in which Tolkien balances these two ancient cultures and unites them in a single literature.
1Two norths and their English blend122Skin-changing in more than one sense : the complexity of Beorn303Bridges, gates, and doors444Iceland and Middle-Earth : two who loved the north755Spiders and evil red eyes : the shadow sides of Gandalf and Galadriel936Wisewomen, shieldmaides, nyphms, and goddesses1287Eating, devouring, sacrifice, and ultimate just deserts (why Elves are vegetarian and the unrefined are not)1568Three questions by way of conclusion172
