# Tolkien research

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"Tolkien studies" redirects here. For the journal, see [Tolkien Studies](/source/Tolkien_Studies).

The works of [J. R. R. Tolkien](/source/J._R._R._Tolkien) have generated a body of research covering many aspects of his [fantasy](/source/High_fantasy) writings. These encompass *[The Lord of the Rings](/source/The_Lord_of_the_Rings)* and *[The Silmarillion](/source/The_Silmarillion)*, along with [his legendarium](/source/Tolkien's_legendarium) that remained unpublished until after his death, and [his constructed languages](/source/Languages_constructed_by_J._R._R._Tolkien), especially the [Elvish languages](/source/Elvish_languages_of_Middle-earth) [Quenya](/source/Quenya) and [Sindarin](/source/Sindarin). Scholars from different disciplines have examined the [linguistic and literary origins](/source/Influences_on_Tolkien) of [Middle-earth](/source/Middle-earth), and have explored [many aspects of his writings](/source/Themes_of_The_Lord_of_the_Rings) from [Christianity](/source/Christianity_in_Middle-earth) to [feminism](/source/Women_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings) and [race](/source/Tolkien_and_race).

## Biographical

Biographies of Tolkien have been written by [Humphrey Carpenter](/source/Humphrey_Carpenter), with his 1977 *[J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography](/source/J._R._R._Tolkien:_A_Biography)*[1] and of Tolkien's wartime years by [John Garth](/source/John_Garth_(author)) with his 2003 *[Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold of Middle-earth](/source/Tolkien_and_the_Great_War:_The_Threshold_of_Middle-earth)*.[2] Carpenter edited the 1981 *[The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien](/source/The_Letters_of_J._R._R._Tolkien)*, assisted by [Christopher Tolkien](/source/Christopher_Tolkien).[3] The brief period after the war when Tolkien worked for the [*OED*](/source/Oxford_English_Dictionary) is detailed in the 2006 book *[The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary](/source/The_Ring_of_Words:_Tolkien_and_the_Oxford_English_Dictionary)* by [Peter Gilliver](/source/Peter_Gilliver), Jeremy Marshall and [Edmund Weiner](/source/Edmund_Weiner).[4]

## On Tolkien's writings

Further information: [Literary reception of *The Lord of the Rings*](/source/Literary_reception_of_The_Lord_of_the_Rings)

### Institutions

A variety of institutions have developed to support Tolkien research. These include [The Tolkien Society](/source/The_Tolkien_Society) and [The Mythopoeic Society](/source/The_Mythopoeic_Society). Tolkien archives are held in the [Bodleian Library](/source/Bodleian_Library) in [Oxford](/source/Oxford)[5] and [Marquette University](/source/Marquette_University) in [Milwaukee, Wisconsin](/source/Milwaukee,_Wisconsin).[6] Publishers of scholarly books on Tolkien include [Houghton Mifflin](/source/Houghton_Mifflin), [McFarland Press](/source/McFarland_Press), Mythopoeic Press, [Walking Tree Publishers](/source/Walking_Tree_Publishers), [Palgrave MacMillan](/source/Palgrave_MacMillan), and [Kent State University Press](/source/Kent_State_University_Press).[7]

### Journals

Early publications on Tolkien's writing were essentially fanzines; some, such as *[Mythlore](/source/Mythlore)*, founded in 1969, developed into scholarly [peer-reviewed](/source/Peer-review) (refereed) technical publications; among the "reputable"[7] journals is *[Mallorn](/source/Mallorn_(journal))*[7] by the [Tolkien Society](/source/The_Tolkien_Society). Other specialised journals include *[Tolkien Studies](/source/Tolkien_Studies)* (2004–) and *Journal of Tolkien Research* (2014–). There are several journals that focus on the literary society [The Inklings](/source/The_Inklings), of which Tolkien was a member, especially *[Journal of Inklings Studies](/source/Journal_of_Inklings_Studies)* (2011–).[7]

### Conferences

In 1992, the Tolkien Society and the Mythopoeic Society held a joint conference for the centenary of Tolkien's birth, combining papers that were published in the conference proceedings,[8] with a mixed programme of events over a period of eight days, 17–24 August 1992, in Oxford. The Mythopoeic Society has been holding conferences in the U.S. (and once in Canada) nearly annually since 1970. In recent years some conferences have been virtual.[9]

*Omentielva* is a European bi-yearly conference on research into Tolkien's invented languages.[10]

### Fields

Further information: [Influences on J. R. R. Tolkien](/source/Influences_on_J._R._R._Tolkien) and [Themes of *The Lord of the Rings*](/source/Themes_of_The_Lord_of_the_Rings)

A large literature examines Tolkien's [Middle-earth](/source/Middle-earth) fantasy fiction from numerous points of view. Some scholars have investigated its [philological](/source/Philological) roots in languages such as [Old Norse](/source/Old_Norse) and [Old English](/source/Old_English).[11] Others have explored [its influences from literature](/source/Tolkien's_influences) of periods from [classical](/source/Tolkien_and_the_classical_world) and [medieval](/source/Tolkien_and_the_medieval) to [antiquarian](/source/Tolkien_and_antiquarianism) and [modern](/source/Tolkien's_modern_sources). Many have examined [its themes](/source/Themes_of_The_Lord_of_the_Rings) including [its poetry](/source/Poetry_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings), its [Christian symbolism](/source/Christianity_in_Middle-earth), issues of [feminism](/source/Women_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings), [race](/source/Tolkien_and_race), and [sexuality](/source/Sexuality_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings), and questions such as Tolkien's theory of [sound and language](/source/Sound_and_language_in_Middle-earth). Others again have studied the [literary devices](/source/Literary_devices_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings) that Tolkien used, such as his use of [frame stories](/source/Tolkien's_frame_stories), [interlacing of narrative](/source/Interlacing_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings), and his intentional creation of an [Impression of depth](/source/Impression_of_depth_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings).[12][13][14] These are overviewed in Blackwell's 2014 *[A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien](/source/A_Companion_to_J._R._R._Tolkien)*,[14] which effectively marked his acceptance into the English literary canon.[15]

### Constructed languages

Further information: [Languages constructed by J. R. R. Tolkien](/source/Languages_constructed_by_J._R._R._Tolkien)

Tolkien's constructed languages, [Quenya](/source/Quenya) and [Sindarin](/source/Sindarin), the main languages of [Elves](/source/Elf_(Middle-earth)), have inspired [linguistic](/source/Linguistics) research. *[Parma Eldalamberon](/source/Parma_Eldalamberon)* and *[Vinyar Tengwar](/source/Vinyar_Tengwar)* are published by the [Elvish Linguistic Fellowship](/source/Elvish_Linguistic_Fellowship) of the [Mythopoeic Society](/source/Mythopoeic_Society), a non-profit organization. The *Vinyar Tengwar* and *Parma Eldalamberon* material published at an increasing rate during the early 2000s is from the stock of linguistic material in the possession of the appointed [team of editors](/source/Elvish_Linguistic_Fellowship) (some 3000 pages according to them), consisting of photocopies sent them by [Christopher Tolkien](/source/Christopher_Tolkien) and notes taken in the [Bodleian Library](/source/Bodleian_Library) around 1992. An Internet [mailing list](/source/Mailing_list) dedicated to Tolkien's languages, called tolklang, has existed since November 1, 1990.[16]

## Bibliography

### Major introductory books

- Drout, Michael D. C. (ed.) (2013 [2007]). "Tolkien Scholarship: Institutions". *[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment](/source/J.R.R._Tolkien_Encyclopedia)*. [Routledge](/source/Routledge). ISBN 978-0-415-86511-1.
- Flieger, Verlyn (ed.) (2000). *Tolkien's Legendarium: Essays on The History of Middle-earth*. [Greenwood Press](/source/Greenwood_Press). ISBN 978-0-313-30530-6.
- Flieger, Verlyn (1983). *Splintered Light: Logos and Language in Tolkien's World*. [Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing](/source/William_B._Eerdmans_Publishing_Company). ISBN 978-0-8028-1955-0.
- Hammond, Wayne G. & Christina Scull (2005). *The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion*. [HarperCollins](/source/HarperCollins). ISBN 978-0-00-720308-6.
- Lee, Stuart D. (ed.) (2020 [2014]). *[A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien](/source/A_Companion_to_J._R._R._Tolkien)*. [Wiley Blackwell](/source/Wiley_Blackwell). ISBN 978-1119656029.
- Olsen, Corey (2012). *Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit*. Boston: [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt](/source/Houghton_Mifflin_Harcourt). ISBN 978-0-547-73946-5.
- Pesch, Helmut W. (2003). *Elbisch – Grammatik, Schrift und Wörterbuch der Elben-Sprache J.R.R. Tolkiens* (in German). Bergisch Gladbach: Bastei-Lübbe. ISBN 3-404-20476-X.
- Shippey, Tom (1982). *The Road to Middle-earth*. [George Allen and Unwin](/source/George_Allen_and_Unwin). ISBN 978-0-04-809018-8. (Revised and expanded 1992, 2005)
- Whittingham, Elizabeth A. (2008). [*The Evolution of Tolkien's Mythology: A Study of the 'History of Middle-earth'*](https://books.google.com/books?id=22EqDwAAQBAJ). [McFarland](/source/McFarland_%26_Company). ISBN 978-1-4766-1174-7.

### Journals

- *Fastitocalon: Studies in Fantasticism Ancient to Modern: Immortals and the Undead* briefly existed in the 2010s.[17][18]
- *Journal of Tolkien Research* (ISSN [2471-934X](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2471-934X), [Valparaiso University](/source/Valparaiso_University))[19]
- *[Mallorn](/source/Mallorn_(journal))* (ISSN [0308-6674](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0308-6674), [The Tolkien Society](/source/The_Tolkien_Society))[7][20][21]
- *[Mythlore](/source/Mythlore)* (ISSN [0146-9339](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0146-9339), [Mythopoeic Society](/source/Mythopoeic_Society))[22]
- *[Tolkien Studies](/source/Tolkien_Studies)* (ISSN [1547-3155](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1547-3155), [West Virginia University Press](/source/West_Virginia_University_Press))[23]
- *[Vinyar Tengwar](/source/Vinyar_Tengwar)* (ISSN [1054-7606](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1054-7606), [Elvish Linguistic Fellowship](/source/Elvish_Linguistic_Fellowship))[24]

## References

1. ["Tolkien Bibliography: 1977 - Humphrey Carpenter - J.R.R. Tolkien: a biography"](http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/booksabouttolkien/biography/description.htm). The Tolkien Library. Retrieved 1 November 2016.

1. Garth, John (2003). *[Tolkien and the Great War: the threshold of Middle-earth](/source/Tolkien_and_the_Great_War)*. London: [HarperCollins](/source/HarperCollins). ISBN 978-0-00-711953-0. [OCLC 54047800](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/54047800)

1. Carpenter, Humphrey (ed.) (2000). "Letter 294". *[The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien](/source/The_Letters_of_J._R._R._Tolkien)*. [Houghton Mifflin](/source/Houghton_Mifflin). ISBN 978-0-618-05699-6.

1. Gilliver, Peter (2006). *The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary*. Oxford: [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press). ISBN 978-0-19-861069-4.

1. Barella, Cecilia (2013 [2007]). "Tolkien Scholarship: Institutions". *[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment](/source/J.R.R._Tolkien_Encyclopedia)*. Drout, Michael D. C. (ed.). [Routledge](/source/Routledge). pp. 656–659. ISBN 978-0-415-86511-1.

1. ["J R R Tolkien Collection - Marquette University Libraries"](https://www.facebook.com/TolkienMarquette/posts/386367492807417). [Marquette University](/source/Marquette_University) Libraries. 30 November 2020. [Archived](https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/103018641142305/386367492807417) 2022-02-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 January 2021.

1. Croft, Janet Brennan (2016). ["Bibliographic Resources for Literature Searches on J.R.R Tolkien"](https://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/vol3/iss1/2). *Journal of Tolkien Research*. **3** (1): Article 2.

1. Proceedings of [The J. R. R. Tolkien Centenary Conference](/source/The_J._R._R._Tolkien_Centenary_Conference) 1992 [– separate articles](https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol21/iss2/) (out of print); [– single PDF with index](https://journals.tolkiensociety.org/mallorn/issue/view/34/35)

1. GoodKnight, Glen H. & Reynolds, Patricia (15 October 1996). ["Editorial"](https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2118&context=mythlore). *[Mythlore](/source/Mythlore)*. **21** (2): article 1.

1. [Omentielva](http://www.omentielva.com/index.htm)

1. Solopova 2009.

1. Drout, Michael D. C. (ed.) (2006). *The J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment*. New York City: [Routledge](/source/Routledge). pp. xxix-xxx. ISBN 0-415-96942-5.

1. Hammond & Scull 2006b.

1. Lee 2020.

1. Higgins, Andrew (2015). ["A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien, ed. Stuart D. Lee, reviewed by Andrew Higgins"](http://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/vol2/iss1/2). *Journal of Tolkien Research*. **2** (1): Article 2.

1. Bradfield, Julian. ["The Tolkien Language List"](http://tolklang.quettar.org/). *Quettar.org*. Retrieved 25 January 2021.

1. Petersen, Vibeke Rützou (2012). ["Review of Fastitocalon. Studies in Fantasticism Ancient to Modern: Immortals and the Undead 1.2 (2010): 91–200"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/24352949). *[Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts](/source/Journal_of_the_Fantastic_in_the_Arts)*. **23** (2 (85)): 334–337. [ISSN 0897-0521](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0897-0521). [JSTOR 24352949](https://www.jstor.org/stable/24352949)

1. Croft, Janet Brennan (2010). ["Review of Fastitocalon: Studies in Fantasticism Ancient to Modern: Immortals and the Undead"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/26815554). *[Mythlore](/source/Mythlore)*. **29** (1/2 (111/112)): 188–192. [ISSN 0146-9339](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0146-9339). [JSTOR 26815554](https://www.jstor.org/stable/26815554)

1. [*Journal of Tolkien Research*](https://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/)

1. [*Mallorn*](https://journals.tolkiensociety.org/mallorn/issue/archive)

1. At its issue #15 , [*Tolkien Journal*](https://dc.swosu.edu/tolkien_journal/) merged with *Mythlore*.

1. [*Mythlore*](https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/)

1. [Tolkien Studies](https://wvupressonline.com/journals/tolkien_studies) at [West Virginia University Press](/source/West_Virginia_University_Press)

1. [*Vinyar Tengwar*](https://www.elvish.org/VT/)

## External links

- [The home page of the Elvish Linguistic Fellowship](http://www.elvish.org/), which publishes the journals *Parma Eldalamberon*, *Vinyar Tengwar*, and *Tengwestie*, and sponsors the discussion list, Lambengolmor (discussion list launched 29 May 2002, archives at [lambengolmor-l](http://lists.wikia.com/mailman/listinfo/lambengolmor-l) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20061111021544/http://lists.wikia.com/mailman/listinfo/lambengolmor-l) 11 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine)
- [Tolkien's Linguistic Writings and Drafts](http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/bibliography.htm) by Ryszard Derdzinski
- [TolkienBooks.net Chronological Book Index](https://tolkienbooks.net/php/chronindex.php) - a comprehensive index of Tolkien Publications
- [A List of Tolkien's Unpublished and Slightly Published Manuscripts](https://web.archive.org/web/20091027110101/http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/9902/unpub.html) by Lisa Star (concentrates on linguistic materials)
- [Publications](http://www.tolkiensociety.org/ts_info/publications.html) of the Tolkien Society (UK)
- [Tolkien Studies](https://signumuniversity.org/departments/language-literature/tolkien-studies/) at Signum University
- [The Tolkien Professor](https://tolkienprofessor.com) website, offering free materials from [Corey Olsen](/source/Corey_Olsen)'s courses at Signum University

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tolkien research](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkien_research) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkien_research?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.