Durham E-Theses Spiritual Formation in Tolkien's Legendarium SHAEFFER, ADAM,BRENT How to cite: SHAEFFER, ADAM,BRENT (2017) Spiritual Formation in Tolkien's Legendarium, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/12325/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 1 Abstract Spiritual Formation in Tolkien’s Legendarium Adam Brent Shaeffer In this thesis, I demonstrate that a consistent and powerful imagining of spiritual formation shapes Tolkien’s legendarium, such that the world of Arda and its inhabitants are deeply marked by both dysformation and euformation, and this is not accidental. Because I am convinced that Tolkien’s fiction is “capable of elucidating truth,” I have focused on redescribing his world and characters in order to draw Arda’s deep formational dynamics to the surface. I show that his legendarium in general and The Lord of the Rings in particular are compelling tales of formational imagination. I have not focused on drawing out moral implications for the primary world (though I do suggest the shape some implications might take), but have focused instead on Tolkien’s sub- created world and allowed it to encourage our reimagining of formational possibilities. The first part of this thesis examines Arda in light of Tolkien’s theory of sub-creation, demonstrating how Arda’s marring offers a creative reimagining of sin and evil that shape the way he then imagines the potential for redemption. But Arda is more than just background; it has its own formational story in which the stories of characters moving toward euformation or dysformation make sense. In the second part of this thesis, I examine the formational journeys of Saruman, Gollum, and Frodo, demonstrating that each follows a path that shapes the way he interacts with the world. Where Frodo’s euformation makes him more like the Elves, Saruman and Gollum’s dysformation makes them like the orcs and wraiths respectively. Through their stories, Tolkien invites us to see Arda and its inhabitants as marred, yet capable of redemption. In attending to these things, I show that Tolkien’s work of formational imagination can be read as a distinctive contribution to the theological tradition and deserves a place within its conversations. 2 Spiritual Formation in Tolkien’s Legendarium by Adam Brent Shaeffer Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Department of Theology and Religion Durham University 2017 3 Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................. 1 Table of Contents ............................................................................................... 3 Abbreviations ..................................................................................................... 5 Statement of Copyright ...................................................................................... 6 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................ 7 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 9 Tolkien’s Legendarium .......................................................................................... 10 Research Context .................................................................................................... 19 PART I ......................................................................................................................................... 23 Chapter 1. The Music of the Ainur .................................................................. 26 Sub-Creation ........................................................................................................... 27 Eä .............................................................................................................................. 31 Make in Harmony a Great Music .................................................................... 32 Melkor Mars the Music ..................................................................................... 35 Behold Your Music! ........................................................................................... 40 Let These Things Be! ......................................................................................... 43 Chapter 2. Life in Arda Marred ........................................................................ 47 Sin is “Behovely” .................................................................................................... 52 Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth .............................................................................. 61 Providence ............................................................................................................... 67 Chapter 3. The Euformation and Dysformation of Arda................................. 74 The Significance of Place ...................................................................................... 74 Mordor ................................................................................................................ 82 Lothlórien............................................................................................................ 87 Rivendell .............................................................................................................. 89 Arda Healed ............................................................................................................ 90 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 94 PART II ....................................................................................................................................... 96 Chapter 4. Saruman: From Istar to No-thing .................................................. 98 The Istari .................................................................................................................. 98 Orcs, Rings, and Technology: The Strip-Mining of Creation ........................ 104 The Voice of Saruman ......................................................................................... 110 Human No Longer ............................................................................................... 119 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 125 Chapter 5. Gollum and the Hope of Euformation ......................................... 127 From Hobbit to Wraith: Sméagol Becomes Gollum ...................................... 128 From Wraith to Hobbit and Back Again .......................................................... 138 The Ends of Evil .................................................................................................. 146 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 150 Chapter 6. The Suffering and Euformation of Frodo Baggins ....................... 151 A Willingness to Suffer ........................................................................................ 154 To Lose a Treasure, Not to Gain One ......................................................... 156 To Save the Shire, but Not for Himself ....................................................... 158 Euformative Community .................................................................................... 162 4 The Communities that Formed Him ............................................................ 162 Agent of Euformative Community ............................................................... 167 Frodo, Weak and Wounded ........................................................................... 169 Deep Sight ............................................................................................................. 173 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 179 Chapter 7. Tolkien and the Spiritual Senses .................................................. 182 Historical Foundations of the Tradition ........................................................... 184 Parallels Between Tolkien and the Tradition ................................................... 186 Perception as Spiritual-Corporeal Endeavor ............................................... 187 Spiritual Perception and Community ............................................................ 190 Growing in Virtue ............................................................................................ 192 Spiritual Perception for All ............................................................................. 196 Expanding the Tradition ..................................................................................... 197