The Use of Epic and Romance Elements in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

Abstract

Since its publication in 1954, The Lord of the Rings has played a prominent role in the development of the genre that will be known as fantasy literature. As an established medievalist himself, J.R.R. Tolkien drew inspiration from romances, having translated Sir Orfeo and Sir Gawain & The Green Knight. Tolkien was also no stranger to epic, both owing to his interest, as a linguist, in Old English, as well as his fascination with Nordic myths. His aim as an author was to create a mythology for England by using his knowledge of romance and epic. This thesis is concerned with how Tolkien employs elements of romance and epic in his trilogy The Lord of the Rings. It argues that at the core of Tolkien’s narrative are many traditional values and elements that have shaped epic and romance. Accordingly, the grand story of The Lord of the Rings borrows heavily from the quest narrative of chivalric romance and combines it with important elements of epic. The introduction part of this thesis discusses epic, romance, and fantasy genres, attempting to establish a connection between them. Chapter I is concerned with the epic elements in LOTR, such as the hero, the epic catalogue, epic similes and throwbacks. Chapter II deals with the romance elements, particularly those of the knightly romances. It hence examines the knight hero, courtly love, knightly companionship and errantry as they are used in The Lord of the Rings. The conclusion establishes The Lord of the Rings as a work that continues both romance and epic traditions through its use of significant elements of both.