L.HIS 246 - Exploring The Lord of the Rings-EC

Credits: 3

Gollum, Gandalf, and Galadriel builds archival research skills through examining the fantasy writing of J.R.R. Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Farmer Giles of Ham. The course centers on a week-long experience in the Tolkien archives at Marquette University, where students will use the author’s original notes and manuscripts to develop questions and discover the roots of his beloved characters, places, and events. In addition to inquiry, students will explore the craft of writing, witnessing the evolution of passages and characters through examining Tolkien’s revision process. The course explores three elements of JRR Tolkien’s fantasy work: literary craft, historical vision, and moral imagination. Much of what makes Tolkien’s fantasy work so compelling is the degree to which it was informed by his own historical and philological studies and his personal reflection on the emerging aspects of modernism in the 20^th century. Through archival and non-archival research, students will analyze the development of Tolkien’s characters over multiple drafts and in his letters.
Prerequisite: None
Co-requisite: None
General Education Classification: Creativity, Aesthetics, & Design-EC