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{{disambig-two|scholarly research|the journal|[[Tolkien Studies]]}}
:''For the journal see [[Tolkien Studies]]''
 
'''Tolkien studies''' is the scholarly research of the works of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] this includes his fictional literature and languages and his philologist research.
'''Tolkien studies''' is the scholarly research of the works of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] this includes his fictional literature and languages and his philologist research.


==History==
==History==
===Tolkien's Scholarship===
===Tolkien's Scholarship===
Tolkien's own academic research has had a great impact within the field of philology.  
Tolkien's own academic research has had a great impact within the field of philology.  


Tolkien wrote many of the entries under "W" in the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' and many of those entries still survive this day as he originally wrote them.<ref>[[Peter Gilliver]], [[Jeremy Marshall]], [[Edmund Weiner]], ''[[The Ring of Words]]''</ref>
Tolkien wrote many of the entries under "W" in the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' and many of those entries still survive this day as he originally wrote them.<ref>[[Peter Gilliver]], [[Jeremy Marshall]], [[Edmund Weiner]], ''[[The Ring of Words]]''</ref>
He also wrote the groundbreaking ''[[A Middle English Vocabulary]]'' which looked at common words instead of exotic words.<ref>Margaret L. Lee, "Middle English", published in ''[[The Year's Work in English Studies]]'', vol II (1922), pages 41-53, esp. 42-3</ref>   
He also wrote the groundbreaking ''[[A Middle English Vocabulary]]'' which looked at common words instead of exotic words.<ref>Margaret L. Lee, "Middle English", published in ''[[The Year's Work in English Studies]]'', vol II (1922), pp. 41-53, esp. 42-3</ref>   


His lecture titled ''[[Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics]]'' changed scholars understanding of the epic poem. During his time it was largely viewed as a historical document, but Tolkien argued that it should be examined as a literay work of art. This method of studying Beowulf is now popular today.<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics]]'', "Introduction"</ref>
His lecture titled ''[[Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics]]'' changed scholars understanding of the epic poem. During his time it was largely viewed as a historical document, but Tolkien argued that it should be examined as a literay work of art. This method of studying Beowulf is now popular today.<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics]]'', "Introduction"</ref>
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* the cult period and the fierce reactions to it
* the cult period and the fierce reactions to it
* the acceptance of Tolkien as a literary agent
* the acceptance of Tolkien as a literary agent
* and lastly, the post-[[The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy|movie]] phase, featuring expanded volumes, reprints, and a wide variety of subjects.<ref name="ScholOverview">[[Brian Rosebury]], "Tolkien Scholarship: An Overview", published in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia]]'' (edited by [[Michael D.C. Drout]]), pages 653-654</ref>  
* and lastly, the post-[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|movie]] phase, featuring expanded volumes, reprints, and a wide variety of subjects.<ref name="ScholOverview">[[Brian Rosebury]], "Tolkien Scholarship: An Overview", published in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia]]'' (edited by [[Michael D.C. Drout]]), pp. 653-654</ref>  


The first two periods have been summarized by [[Tom Shippey]] as the "Age of Innocence": the time before the publishing of ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'' and ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]''. After the publishing of at least some of those, many musings, theories and guesses were flattened by additional information.<ref name="CompFore">[[Tom Shippey]], "Foreword" published in ''[[A Tolkien Compass]]'' (third edition) (edited by [[Jared Lobdell]]), pages vii-xi</ref> The field of literary critics taking interest was still thin, and serious academic research was rare. The first conference on Tolkien's literature was held in [[1966]]; before that, only collected works on children's literature had picked up serious attention for ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.<ref name="ScholFirst">[[Richard C. West]], "Tolkien Scholarship: First Decades: 1954-1980", published in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia]]'' (edited by [[Michael D.C. Drout]]), pages 654-656</ref>
The first two periods have been summarized by [[Tom Shippey]] as the "Age of Innocence": the time before the publishing of ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'' and ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]''. After the publishing of at least some of those, many musings, theories and guesses were flattened by additional information.<ref name="CompFore">[[Tom Shippey]], "Foreword" published in ''[[A Tolkien Compass]]'' (third edition) (edited by [[Jared Lobdell]]), pp. vii-xi</ref> The field of literary critics taking interest was still thin, and serious academic research was rare. The first conference on Tolkien's literature was held in [[1966]]; before that, only collected works on children's literature had picked up serious attention for ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.<ref name="ScholFirst">[[Richard C. West]], "Tolkien Scholarship: First Decades: 1954-1980", published in ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia]]'' (edited by [[Michael D.C. Drout]]), pp. 654-656</ref>


===1,800 New Entries===
===1,800 New Entries===
A major turn in scholarship was the publishing of ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', edited by [[Christopher Tolkien]]. The book included the history of things that were previously no more than a "background-word", such as [[Beren]]<ref>{{HM|FR}}, "[[A Knife in the Dark]]"</ref> or [[Gondolin]].<ref>{{HM|H}}, "[[A Short Rest]]"</ref> Apart from many expanded entries, the second edition of [[J.E.A. Tyler]]'s ''[[The Tolkien Companion]]'' included some 1,800 new entries.<ref>[[Colin Duriez]], ''[[Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings]]'', page 47</ref> A landmark publication of this time was Shippey's ''[[The Road to Middle-earth]]''.<ref name="ScholOverview"/>
A major turn in scholarship was the publishing of ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', edited by [[Christopher Tolkien]]. The book included the history of things that were previously no more than a "background-word", such as [[Beren]]<ref>{{FR|I11}}, "[[Song of Beren and Lúthien]]"</ref> or [[Gondolin]].<ref>{{H|3}}, [[Elrond]] explaining the origin of [[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]]</ref> Apart from many expanded entries, the second edition of [[J.E.A. Tyler]]'s ''[[The Tolkien Companion]]'' included some 1,800 new entries.<ref>[[Colin Duriez]], ''[[Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings]]'', p. 47</ref> A landmark publication of this time was Shippey's ''[[The Road to Middle-earth]]''.<ref name="ScholOverview"/>


==Fields==
==Fields==
===Linguistics===
===Linguistics===
====Invented languages====
====Invented languages====
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==Courses==
==Courses==
{{expansion}}
{{expansion}}
There are a number of universities and colleges that offer course work in Tolkien stuides. This is a listing of some of the courses devoted sololy to Tolkien studies. There are some institutions that offer Tolkien studies as part of another course.  
There are a number of universities and colleges that offer course work in Tolkien studies. This is a listing of some of the courses devoted solely to Tolkien studies. There are some institutions that offer Tolkien studies as part of another course.  
* [[wikipedia:Bethel University|Bethel University]] offers a course on the theology of [[Middle-earth]].  
* [[wikipedia:Bethel University|Bethel University]] offers a course on the theology of [[Middle-earth]].  
* [[wikipedia:Bradley University|Bradley Unviersity]] offers a course taught by J.R.R. Tolkien scholar [[Mike Foster]] on ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.
* [[wikipedia:Bradley University|Bradley Unviersity]] offers a course taught by J.R.R. Tolkien scholar [[Mike Foster]] on ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.
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* [[wikipedia:Victoria University of Wellington|Victoria University of Wellington]] offers a course on ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' and how it relates to medieval literature.<ref>[http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/study/subjects/coursecatalogue.aspx?course=ENGL-227 ENGL 227 – Tolkien and Medieval Literature]</ref>
* [[wikipedia:Victoria University of Wellington|Victoria University of Wellington]] offers a course on ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' and how it relates to medieval literature.<ref>[http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/study/subjects/coursecatalogue.aspx?course=ENGL-227 ENGL 227 – Tolkien and Medieval Literature]</ref>


==See Also==
==See also==
* {{WP|Tolkien research}}
* {{WP|Tolkien research}}
* [[Elvish Linguistic Fellowship]]
* [[Elvish Linguistic Fellowship]]
* [[Omentielva]]
* [[Omentielva]]
* [[The Tolkien Society]]
* [[The Tolkien Society]]
* ''[[Tolkien Studies]]''
* ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment]]''


{{references}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Tolkien studies| ]]
[[Category:Tolkien studies| ]]

Revision as of 19:13, 20 May 2020

"...there is much else that may be told." — Glóin
This article or section is a stub. Please help Tolkien Gateway by expanding it.
This article is about scholarly research. For the the journal, see Tolkien Studies.

Tolkien studies is the scholarly research of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien this includes his fictional literature and languages and his philologist research.

History

Tolkien's Scholarship

Tolkien's own academic research has had a great impact within the field of philology.

Tolkien wrote many of the entries under "W" in the Oxford English Dictionary and many of those entries still survive this day as he originally wrote them.[1] He also wrote the groundbreaking A Middle English Vocabulary which looked at common words instead of exotic words.[2]

His lecture titled Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics changed scholars understanding of the epic poem. During his time it was largely viewed as a historical document, but Tolkien argued that it should be examined as a literay work of art. This method of studying Beowulf is now popular today.[3]

Age of Innocence

Generally, the history of Tolkien scholarship is divided into four time periods:

  • the book reviews
  • the cult period and the fierce reactions to it
  • the acceptance of Tolkien as a literary agent
  • and lastly, the post-movie phase, featuring expanded volumes, reprints, and a wide variety of subjects.[4]

The first two periods have been summarized by Tom Shippey as the "Age of Innocence": the time before the publishing of The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien and The History of Middle-earth. After the publishing of at least some of those, many musings, theories and guesses were flattened by additional information.[5] The field of literary critics taking interest was still thin, and serious academic research was rare. The first conference on Tolkien's literature was held in 1966; before that, only collected works on children's literature had picked up serious attention for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.[6]

1,800 New Entries

A major turn in scholarship was the publishing of The Silmarillion, edited by Christopher Tolkien. The book included the history of things that were previously no more than a "background-word", such as Beren[7] or Gondolin.[8] Apart from many expanded entries, the second edition of J.E.A. Tyler's The Tolkien Companion included some 1,800 new entries.[9] A landmark publication of this time was Shippey's The Road to Middle-earth.[4]

Fields

Linguistics

Invented languages

Main article: Languages

Philology

Literature

Christianity

Philosophy

Courses

"...It is a long tale..." — Aragorn
This article or section needs expansion and/or modification. Please help the wiki by expanding it.

There are a number of universities and colleges that offer course work in Tolkien studies. This is a listing of some of the courses devoted solely to Tolkien studies. There are some institutions that offer Tolkien studies as part of another course.

See also

References