A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien

The new edition of the definitive academic companion to Tolkien’s life and literature

A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien provides readers with an in-depth examination of the author’s life and works, covering Tolkien’s fiction and mythology, his academic writing, and his continuing impact on contemporary literature and culture. Presenting forty-one essays by a panel of leading scholars, the Companion analyzes prevailing themes found in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, posthumous publications such as The Silmarillion and The Fall of Arthur, lesser-known fiction and poetry, literary essays, and more.

This second edition of the Companion remains the most complete and up-to-date resource of its kind, encompassing new Tolkien publications, original scholarship, TheHobbit film adaptations, and the biographical drama Tolkien. Five entirely new essays discuss the history of fantasy literature, the influence of classical mythology on Tolkien, folklore and fairytales, diversity, and Tolkien fandom. This Companion also:

• Explores Tolkien’s impact on art, film, music, gaming, and later generations of fantasy fiction writers
• Discusses themes such as mythmaking, medieval languages, nature, war, religion, and the defeat of evil
• Presents a detailed overview of Tolkien’s legendarium, including Middle-earth mythology and invented languages and writing systems
• Includes a brief chronology of Tolkien’s works and life, further reading suggestions, and end-of-chapter bibliographies

A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien, Second Edition is essential reading for anyone formally studying or teaching Tolkien in academic settings, and an invaluable resource for general readers with interest in Tolkien’s works or fans of the films wanting to discover more.

Dr Stuart Lee is a senior member of the Faculty of English at the University of Oxford. He is a teacher and researcher in the areas of Fantasy Literature, War Poetry, Old English, and Digital Humanities. He has published extensively on all of these and most recently edited the 4-volume Critical Assessments of Major Writers: J. R. R. Tolkien for Routledge (2017), and The Keys of Middle-earth (2nd edition) with Elizabeth Solopova. He has led many major Digital Humanities research projects since 1996, most notably a series of digital crowd-sourcing initiatives across Europe, and The First World War Poetry Digital Archive. He is also the Deputy Chief Information Officer at Oxford and a joint Trustee of the Wilfred Owen Estate.