- Instructor
- Joey McMullen
- Course Description
- In “On Fairy Stories,” John Ronald Reuel Tolkien sets out his thoughts on Fantasy, which he believes to be a “high form of Art, indeed the most nearly pure form, and so (when achieved) the most potent.” This is a surprisingly bold statement from an Oxford professor holding one of the most important named chairs in Old English studies. And yet, most of the world remembers Tolkien not for his contributions to the study of Beowulf or Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, but as the “father” of modern fantasy. The imaginative intricacies of his Middle-Earth legendarium and enduring legacy of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have shaped a burgeoning contemporary genre and greatly influenced modern popular culture. In this course, we will study the works of Tolkien—particularly his most well known—in great detail, immersing ourselves in his feat of “sub-creation,” marveling over every intricate leaf. This will, in turn, allow us to reflect back on Tolkien’s twentieth-century concerns (some conscious, some less so) and think more broadly about fantasy and whether it is, indeed, the most nearly pure form of Art known to humankind.
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The full details of this course are available on the Office of the Registrar website.
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The College of Arts