Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's Philosophical Underpinnings in The Lord of the Rings

Spencer: There are many who have fallen into the well of wonder in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth and not considered why the story is so compelling. Many of those who have fallen in love with Tolkien’s world have never asked why the story is so compelling, why the world seems so unfathomably deep, and why the caricatures of Tolkien’s world as moralistically simple or black and white seem so incredibly wrong.

Peter Kreeft explores Tolkien’s worldview in his book, The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview Behind The Lord of the Rings. What emerges is a portrait of a rigorously Augustinian Roman Catholicism which undergirds the stories of elves, orcs, and dwarves. For the most part, explicit worship is absent from The Lord of the Rings, but there is certainly a reverence toward the supernatural.

In fact, Kreeft argues, the primary religious sentiments of Middle Earth are a form of pre-Christian paganism, which, like the polytheism practiced by Abram prior to being called by YHWH, provides a pathway toward Christian theism. Much of the basis for Kreeft’s argument is found in The Silmarillion and some of Tolkien’s letters. What is clear, however, is the openness to the...

United States on Mar 21, 2023

mike: Great book

Canada on May 23, 2019

PB: Excellent guide to the philosophy and theology behind Tolkien’s work

United Kingdom on Jul 25, 2018

Hanniel: Die Tolkien-Begeisterung des Autors

Wer das Buch „Der Herr der Ringe“ öffnet, steigt in eine reale Welt ein. Wie C. S. Lewis sagt, liefert ein Mythos all die Dinge, die wir kennen, mit ihrer reichen inneren Bedeutung. Sie lüftet den „Schleier der Vertrautheit“ Kein Wunder ist „Der Herr der Ringe“ in weltweiten Umfragen zum besten Buch des 20. Jahrhunderts gewählt worden. „Gewöhnliche Leute glauben immer noch an eine wirkliche Moral, an einen realen Unterschied zwischen Gut und Böse; an eine objektive Wahrheit und die Möglichkeit diese zu erkennen; und an die Überlegenheit des Schönen über das Hässliche.“

Die fünf Kennzeichen eines grossen Werkes

Kreeft nennt fünf Charakteristika:
1. Ein guter Handlungsverlauf, eine grosse Tat, ein gutes Werk, etwas das sich zu tun lohnt.
2. Grossartige Charakteren oder zumindest ein genialer Charakter, mit dem/denen sich der Leser identifizieren kann.
3. Ein interessantes Setting, eine anziehende Welt
4. Ein erhebender Stil
5. Eine Weltsicht, die Einsicht in uns selbst, unser Leben und unsere Welt bietet.

Der Aufbau des Buches

Die Literatur spricht, argumentiert und...

Germany on Jul 29, 2016

Ann: This is a well- thought- out and well-written book. I found it fascinating and it gives an extra dimension when reading Tolkein's works. I enjoyed it immensely.

United Kingdom on Dec 29, 2012

Gadfly: Please do not buy this book. I have no idea what has got into the other reviewers or how on God's green earth they could have rated this five stars. It gets one star from me only because Amazon require at least one. I will give you two good reasons not to buy; (i) if you love Tolkien and are looking for genuine insights into his work you will be very, very disappointed, and (ii) although it also presents itself as "an engaging introduction to philosophy" and is, apparently, by a philosopher, it is so philosophically off the wall as to be utterly bizarre and misleading, at best, and is sometimes just plain dumb (I write, for what it is worth, as someone who has taught philosophy at an established university for more than twenty years).

With respect to the first, the book borrows heavily from C. S. Lewis; so heavily, in fact, as to make you think you've bought a book about Lewis's philosophical viewpoint. There is often not much Tolkien in it. My advice, if you like the sort of discussions which interested Lewis, is to go and buy Lewis - it's a lot more interesting and readable than this. Often, when Tolkien does appear, Kreeft just gets him wrong. I often wondered whether he...

United Kingdom on Sep 15, 2011

John Gardner: This book has been on my reading "wish list" since it came out a few years ago. I finally made time to read it, and I'm so glad I did!

As Kreeft -- a Roman Catholic theologian and a professor of philosophy at Boston University -- points out in the introduction, The Lord of the Rings is widely considered the greatest book of the twentieth century, though not all literary critics agree. Of course, I would certainly have to join the ranks of those showering accolades upon Tolkien's masterpiece!

This book is exactly what you might expect from its title: a study of the philosophical themes and underlying worldview behind the story of LOTR. Many authors have attempted similar books seeking to cash in on the story's popularity, but few have done it well. Thankfully, Kreeft has given us an outstanding work that is both educational and enjoyable; academically substantial yet easily accessible. At times, his wit and humor even had me laughing out loud!

The format of the book is simple: Fifty philosophical questions are separated into 13 categories. Kreeft explains the meaning and importance of each question, and then shows how the question is answered using quotes from...

United States on Jan 13, 2011