Applying Anthropology to Fantasy: a Structural Analysis Of
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APPLYING ANTHROPOLOGY TO FANTASY: A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS By Christina C. Estep B.A., University of Mary Washington, 2010 A thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities The University of West Florida In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts 2014 © 2014 Christina C. Estep The thesis of Christina C. Estep is approved: ____________________________________________ _________________ Margaret W. Huber, Ph.D., Committee Member Date ____________________________________________ _________________ Kristina Killgrove, Ph.D., Committee Member Date ____________________________________________ _________________ John E. Worth, Ph.D., Committee Member Date ____________________________________________ _________________ Robert C. Philen, Ph.D., Committee Chair Date Accepted for the Department/Division: ____________________________________________ _________________ John R. Bratten, Ph.D., Chair Date Accepted for the University: ____________________________________________ _________________ Richard S. Podemski, Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School Date ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to recognize my thesis committee, Dr. Robert Philen, Dr. Kristina Killgrove, Dr. John Worth, and Dr. Margaret Huber, for taking the time and effort to help me with not only my thesis, but my academic endeavors. Without these individuals, I would not be where I am now or possess the knowledge that I now have. Secondly, I want thank my parents, Bonnie and Carl Estep. Despite their hardships in life, my parents have supported me through every decision I have made, encouraged me to pursue a higher degree, and were always there to cheer me on when times were tough. Finally, I want to acknowledge my husband Brian, who has been my rock during the most stressful of times. Although we were often states, and at one point an ocean apart, he always managed to be supportive, loving, caring, and there for me. Without his love and support, I would never have had the strength to pursue my dreams. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. iv LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. vii INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER I. THEORY ....................................................................................................... 15 A. Structuralism ............................................................................................. 15 1. Good/ Evil ........................................................................................ 19 2. Gravitas/Celeritas ............................................................................. 21 3. Magic/Non-magic ............................................................................. 24 4. Life/Death ......................................................................................... 26 5. Male/Female ..................................................................................... 28 B. Dual Sovereignty ...................................................................................... 31 1. Magic and Power .............................................................................. 34 2. The One Ring and Inalienable Possessions ...................................... 37 3. Authority .......................................................................................... 44 4. The Failure of Saruman, Sauron, and Gollum .................................. 49 CHAPTER II. TOLKIEN’S MYTH ..................................................................................... 55 A. Elements of Myth: Breaking Down Tolkien’s Myth ................................ 55 B. Structure and Event ................................................................................... 56 C. Analyzing the Myth .................................................................................. 59 CHAPTER III. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................ 78 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 83 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................. 87 Appendix A Timeline of Events ................................................................... 88 Appendix B Ethnographic Census ............................................................. 100 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. A demonstration of the geographical scheme. .............................................................. 61 Figure 2. A demonstration of the global integration scheme. ...................................................... 70 Figure 3. A demonstration of the mediating structure model. ...................................................... 72 vi ABSTRACT APPLYING ANTHROPOLOGY TO FANTASY: A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS Christina C. Estep The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Star Trek are but a few modern mythologies that have become woven into the tapestry of our western culture. We have not only embedded these modern myths into our culture, but many people know these modern mythical cultures better than they do their own mundane, “real” culture. Although this study is unconventional in the field of anthropology, this thesis analyzes J.R.R. Tolkien’s work of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The purpose of this thesis is to provide the evidence that fictional cultures are reflections of western ideals; that fictions can be studied like any other non- fictional culture using anthropological approaches; and that modern fictions are modern mythologies. In this thesis, the famous The Lord of the Rings series is analyzed using the anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss’s structural perspective and his model of defining the meaning of myth to demonstrate how Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings canon can be successfully analyzed in the same fashion. vii INTRODUCTION The Lord of the Rings is one of the most popular fictional series. There are very few people who have not read the books or at least seen the movies. J.R.R. Tolkien created the Middle-earth universe from his own imagination, consisting of several unique cultures that have their own languages and histories. This thesis is not another literary criticism, but rather argues that anthropology can be applied to works of fiction and popular culture, specifically Tolkien’s work. This type of research may appeal to a wider audience inside and outside of the discipline of anthropology, get the public more involved in the discipline, and enable a better understanding of the elements and concepts of anthropology. Research was inspired by the question “How does The Lord of the Rings have anything to do with anthropology?” This is the very question that I have been asked countless times since beginning my research into the application of anthropological theory and methods to the fictional series. From the non-anthropological point of view, the question reflects the non-anthropologist’s misunderstanding and confusion about anthropology. To an anthropologist, an analysis of fiction is a unique topic which may still lead to confusion; contemplating how one would apply methods and theories to a cultural context that does not exist in the mundane world. Anthropological methods can be applied successfully to introduce methods of anthropology to a wider audience outside of the discipline. This is accomplished by piquing interest through a variety of topics within popular culture through practical application. The practicality of studying anthropology and the value of further academic funding for anthropologists have occasionally been questioned through concerns that the discipline is not useful in the work force or does not have an impact on larger society. The main reason for these accusations is simply that the public does not know much, if anything, about anthropology as a 1 discipline. As anthropologists, we are constantly struggling to meet these accusations head on with ideas about how to prove the importance of anthropology, how it impacts the workforce and the world, and why it is worth keeping at academic institutions. One way to help the public understand anthropology is to appeal to their interests, such as popular fiction. Works of fiction are reflections of culture itself in which the author interprets his or her own environment by producing culture. An audience can relate to this produced culture, a reflection, by making the fiction popular and thus reaffirming that culture can be reproduced and successful. In Jason Dittmer’s (2005) article “Captain America's Empire: Reflections on Identity, Popular Culture, and Post-9/11 Geopolitics,” and Elizabeth G. Traube’s (1996) article “‘The Popular’ in American Culture,” the authors analyze how popular culture has helped shape social identity. Dittmer states that Captain America is an embodiment of the “American identity, by presenting for readers a hero both of, and for, the nation. Younger readers may even fantasize about being Captain America,