June 28, 2024

From Middle-Earth To Modern Fantasy: Tracing Tolkien’s Enduring Impact

38 minutes

In this literary podcast episode, we are discussing J.R.R. Tolkien’s immense influence on the high fantasy genre. As we wrap up our coverage of high fantasy this month, we recognize that it’s impossible to talk about the genre without examining Tolkien’s foundational work. We acknowledge that while fantasy existed before Tolkien, he created one of the most elaborate and expansive fictional universes that continues to shape the genre today.

NoteThe following is an editorialized transcript of our weekly literary podcast. If you would like to listen to the podcast, click the play button above orlisten on your favorite platform with the links below.

Tolkien’s World & Characters

The Lord of the Rings

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Author:
J. R. R. Tolkien

Published:
01/01/1954

Genre:
Fantasy

Publisher:
Allen & Unwin

Number of pages:
1,216

ISBN:
345339703

Show Details

We note that Tolkien’s work goes far beyond just The Lord of the Rings, encompassing a vast mythology and invented languages. We recognize the challenge of covering Tolkien’s entire body of work in a single discussion, given its scope and complexity. Rather than focusing solely on the popular film adaptations, we aim to examine Tolkien’s original written works and their lasting impact.

We highlight some key aspects of Tolkien’s writing and world-building:

* The Hobbit was originally written as a children’s book and published in 1937. We contrast this with the later film adaptations that expanded the story significantly.

* Tolkien drew inspiration from historical sources and mythology, including the Old English epic poem Beowulf. We note similarities between Beowulf and elements of The Hobbit, like the dragon Smaug.

* Tolkien created his own languages, with Elvish being reminiscent of Old English.

* He wrote other stories beyond The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, like Beren and Lúthien, which drew from classical romance tales.