John Ronald Reul (J.R.R.) Tolkien has been called various things by various critics. Some have called him "the father of modern fantasy," "creator of England's mythology," and great post-modern expressionist. Others see his work as childish, sexist, and silly. However, there is more to his work than both his fans and detractors see in it.
The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion are works of modern fantasy; but within them are roots which trace back to classical and Germanic cultures of Europe. Tolkien did base his Middle Earth on the ideal of England; however, his myth has gone far beyond his homeland and encompasses all of humanity. One could classify his environmentalism and disdain for modern industry and technology as post-modern; yet, his feelings come more from a yearning for an unreachable past than from any hope for the present.
Childish is not so much the barb his worst critics hoped it would be, but an accurate depiction; a childlike sense of wonder......
Join Now or Login to view the rest of this paper.
Approximate Word Count: 12741
Approximate Pages: 50 (260 words per double-spaced page) |