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A Study of How JRR Tolkien's the Lord of the Rings Reflects Th UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ “FAR-OFF GLEAMS OF EVANGELIUM” A study of how J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings reflects the biblical “Kingdom of Heaven” A Pro Gradu (MA) Thesis in English by Aki Myyrä Department of Languages 2008 HUMANISTINEN TIEDEKUNTA KIELTEN LAITOS Aki Myyrä “FAR-OFF GLEAMS OF EVANGELIUM” A study of how J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings reflects the biblical “Kingdom of Heaven” Pro Gradu –tutkielma Englannin kieli Toukokuu 2008 119 sivua Tutkielman tarkoituksena on tarkastella J. R. R. Tolkienin Taru Sormusten Herrasta – teosta (tästedes TSH) verraten sen sisältämiä elementtejä ja arvoja Taivasten-, eli Jumalan Valtakunta -käsitteeseen sellaisena, kuin Raamattu ja eritoten Kristuksen opetus sen esittää. Yleisesti ottaen ollaan yhtä mieltä siitä, että Tolkienin kristillisyys näkyy hänen teoksessaan, mutta vain implisiittisesti, esimerkiksi maailmankuvana ja arvoina. Kuitenkaan kirjallisuudessa ei ole katseltu tarua Jumalan Valtakunnan näkökulmasta, josta avautuu laajasti erilaisia rinnakkaisuuksia, yhteisiä arvoja ja symboliikkaa. Voidaan siis sanoa, että TSH on ikään kuin peili, joka heijastelee Jumalan Valtakuntaa, antaen lukijalleen ”kaukaisia kajastuksia evankeliumista”, jonka Tolkien tunnusti olevan yksi hyvän fantasiakertomuksen päätehtävistä. Tutkielmassa käy ilmi, että vaikka TSH ei ole allegoria, eikä sillä ole yksiselitteistä sanomaa, Tolkienilla oli kuitenkin tarkoituksena antaa lukijalleen, paitsi vaikuttavan tarinan, myös hengellistä kokemusta heijastelevan kirjallisen elämyksen. Osittain kristillinen symboliikka oli myös tarkoituksellista, kuten hän itse myönsikin. Tutkielmassa esitellään ensiksi Tolkien itse, mukaan lukien hänelle ja hänen kirjalliselle tuotannolleen erityisen merkittäviä henkilöitä, kuten C. S. Lewis, jota ilman Tolkien tunnusti, ettei TSH olisi koskaan valmistunut. Koska TSH kuuluu osana Tolkienin laajempaa mytologiaa, Silmarillionia, sen kontekstina esitellään myytti ja fantasiakertomus, sekä Silmarillionin ja Hobitin (TSH:n edeltäjä) keskeiset tapahtumat. Sen ”rinnakkaistodellisuuden”, Taivasten Valtakunnan teologia esitellään myös taustatiedoissa, sekä pyritään vastaamaan kysymyksiin: oliko Tolkienilla missio, ja jos oli, minkälainen, ja miten se näkyy? Analyysissa käydään läpi TSH:n tapahtumat sen keskeisimmän ”Valtakunta- piirteen”, kaitselmuksen (engl. Providence), näkökulmasta. Sen jälkeen katsotaan kuinka TSH heijastelee Valtakunnan keskeisiä elementtejä, kuten kuninkuutta ja uhrautumista toisten hyväksi. Valtakuntaa tarkastellaan orgaanisena yhteisönä, jonka jälkeen sen keskeisiä arvoja verrataan TSH:n arvomaailmaan. Viimeisenä tutkitaan hyvän ja pahan problematiikkaa sellaisena, kuin Raamattu ja TSH sitä käsittelee. Tutkimuksessa vahvistuu, että TSH:n ja Taivasten Valtakunnan arvomaailmat ovat hyvinkin samankaltaiset, ja että TSH:n lukija saa kokemuksen siitä, mitä Valtakunta ideaalisesti on. Mutta tämä kaikki on tarinan ”pinnan alla”, eikä Tolkien tyrkyttänyt kristillisyyttään. Hän antoi lukijalleen vapauden soveltaa teoksen sanomaa hänelle itselleen mielekkäällä tavalla, riippumatta hänen maailmankatsomuksestaan. Asiasanat: Lord of the Rings, Kingdom of Heaven, myth, fantasy, Tolkien, religion, symbolism, Jesus Christ, Bible, values, good, evil, love, self-sacrifice, eucatastrophe ABSTRACT Aki Myyrä “FAR-OFF GLEAMS OF EVANGELIUM” A study of how J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings reflects the biblical “Kingdom of Heaven” Master’s thesis in English Faculty of Humanities Department of Languages May 2008 119 pages The purpose of this thesis is to examine J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (hereafter LOTR), comparing its elements and values to The Kingdom of Heaven, the spiritual reality which Christ introduces in his teachings. Scholars generally agree that Tolkien’s Christianity can be seen implicitly in his work: for example, in its world view and values. However, Tolkien literature has not examined LOTR from the point of view of the Kingdom of Heaven, which reveals a rich well of parallels, common values, and symbolism. It can be said that LOTR is like a mirror that reflects the Kingdom, giving the reader “far-off gleams of evangelium,” which Tolkien said was one of the main functions of a good fantasy story. This study reveals that although LOTR is not an allegory, nor does it have a definitive message, Tolkien meant to give his reader, not only an impressive story, but also a literary experience akin to religious experience. Tolkien admitted that some of the Christian symbolism in LOTR was intentional. In this work I first introduce Tolkien, along with people who were important to his writing, such as C. S. Lewis, without whom Tolkien said that LOTR would never have seen daylight. Because LOTR is part of Tolkien’s broader mythology, The Silmarillion, I present myth and fantasy as its literary context, and the events of The Silmarillion and The Hobbit as its narrative context. In the background information I also examine the theological foundations of what I propose is LOTR’s parallel reality, the Kingdom of Heaven, and I further attempt to answer the questions: Did Tolkien have a mission? If so, what was it like, and how can it be seen? In the core analysis I first give the story-line of LOTR from the viewpoint of its most prominent “Kingdom-feature”, Providence. Then I examine how LOTR reflects central elements of the Kingdom, such as kingship and self-sacrifice. I look at the Kingdom as an organic community, and then I compare the core values of the Kingdom to LOTR. And finally I look at the battle between Good and Evil as LOTR and the Bible depict it. The findings of this thesis confirm that the values of LOTR and the Kingdom are notably similar, and that the reader of LOTR does indeed derive from it an experience of what the Kingdom ideally is. But all this is “under the surface”, and Tolkien did not impose his Christianity. He gave his readers the freedom to apply the message of LOTR in any way relevant and meaningful to them, regardless of their world view. Key words: Lord of the Rings, Kingdom of Heaven, myth, fantasy, Tolkien, religion, symbolism, Jesus Christ, Bible, values, good, evil, love, self-sacrifice, eucatastrophe CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 8 1.1 Gleams of Evangelium: the “Kingdom-viewpoint” .......................................... 10 1.2 Structure ............................................................................................................ 11 2 J. R. R. TOLKIEN – The author’s life ............................................................ 12 2.1 Childhood and Education .................................................................................. 12 2.2 A Woman, a War, and Work ............................................................................ 13 2.3 C.S. Lewis ......................................................................................................... 15 2.3.1 An atheist hunted down by God ............................................................ 15 2.3.2 The Inklings ............................................................................................ 17 2.3.3 Growing apart ......................................................................................... 17 2.4 Tolkien the Story-teller ..................................................................................... 20 2.5 J. R. R. Tolkien’s most important works .......................................................... 21 3 MYTH AND FANTASY ................................................................................. 22 3.1 What is a myth? ................................................................................................ 22 3.2 Myths – true or false? ....................................................................................... 24 3.3 Tolkien’s philosophy of myth ........................................................................... 26 3.4 Fantasy literature ............................................................................................... 28 3.5 Fantasy as sub-creation ..................................................................................... 30 3.6 Tolkien’s main functions for fantasy ................................................................ 32 4 DID TOLKIEN HAVE A MISSION? ............................................................ 33 4.1 The legacy of the TCBS ................................................................................... 34 4.2 Frodo / Fróda / Fróthi ...................................................................................... 35 4.3 Leaf by Niggle .................................................................................................. 37 4.3.1 Interpretation of Leaf by Niggle ............................................................... 37 4.3.2 Clues of Tolkien’s purpose for LOTR in Leaf by Niggle ........................ 38 4.4 Tolkien’s views on Allegory ............................................................................. 39 4.5 Applicability ..................................................................................................... 40 4.6 Final thoughts on Tolkien’s intentions ............................................................ 42 5 THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ...................................................................... 43 5.1 What is the Kingdom of Heaven? ..................................................................... 44 5.2 What the Kingdom is not .................................................................................
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