The Lord Of The Rings And The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy

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J.R.R. Tolkien was able to successfully capture the essence of Anglo-Saxon literature throughout The Lord of The Rings Trilogy. Though he wrote these books decades later, Tolkien used his knowledge and interest of Anglo-Saxon times to create this mythical, dark, and adventurous tale. Tolkien showed many themes of which were often seen in books written during the Anglo-Saxon time period (450 A.D. – 1066 A.D.) He drew much of his inspiration from the epic poem Beowulf, which is seen all throughout The Lord of The Rings. This book is known as the greatest prime example of literature from that time period. He used similar Anglo-Saxon themes such as Good versus Evil, Christianity versus Paganism, and lastly, the idea of courage and loyalty. Tolkien, fascinated by Anglo-Saxon literature, used similar context, themes, and ideas to create a parallel between Beowulf and The Lord of The Rings.
Tolkien was very interested in the nature of the Anglo-Saxon time period. He was fascinated by the old, dark mythologies of that time. He specialized in Old and Middle English, and taught classes such as Heroic verse, History of English, and Anglo-Saxon Language as a Professor at various colleges. He even uses Old and Middle English as the main dialect seen in all of his books. His love and interest for these topics, languages, and the Anglo-Saxon time period are shown greatly throughout The Lord of The Rings Trilogy.
Beowulf, being Tolkien’s biggest inspiration in The Lord of The Rings, is the prime example of Anglo-Saxon Literature. Written anonymously, it is the oldest surviving epic poem in history. The Anglo-Saxon time period thrived on the heroic codes of Honor, Strength, and Bravery. The warrior, Beowulf himself, exemplified this heroic code...

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... and his own Lord of The Rings Trilogy. The theme of good versus evil is found in both Beowulf and The Lord of The Rings and main characters are used to represent good and evil, showing how much power good or evil can have. The second theme, Christianity versus Paganism, contrast in both books, and show sides of Anglo-Saxon religions and of possible allegories that lye beneath the surface of the story. Lastly, bravery and loyalty are shown in characters of the books, and shine through, showing values of Anglo-Saxon Literature.
Tolkien created this mythical series based on his love and knowledge of Anglo-Saxon literature. There were many inspirations he brought from Beowulf into his books. Through these Anglo-Saxon inspired themes, he brought out the best elements in all of his characters and his own plots and themes throughout the whole Lord of The Rings series.

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