Pity, power, and Tolkien's ring : to rule the fate of many / Thomas P. Hillman.
| Author/creator | Hillman, Thomas P. author. |
| Other author | Kent State University. Press publisher. |
| Format | Book |
| Publication | Kent, Ohio : The Kent State University Press, [2023] |
| Copyright Date | ©2023 |
| Description | xiii, 306 pages ; 23 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Bilbo's lie and the ring -- Bilbo's pity and the ring -- The 1951 Hobbit and "The shadow of the past" -- From Bag End to Rivendell -- From Rivendell to Amon Hen -- From the Emyn Muil to the Dead Marshes -- From the Black Gate to Ithilien -- From Ithilien to Cirith Ungol -- Hobbies in darkness -- From the Black Land to the Undying Lands -- Pity and power in time. |
| Abstract | "In this remarkable work of close reading and analysis, Thomas P. Hillman gets to the heart of the tension between pity and the desire for power in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. As the book traces the entangled story of the One Ring and its effects, we come to understand Tolkien's central paradox: while pity is necessary for destroying the Ring, it cannot save the Ring-bearer from the Ring's lies and corruption. In composing The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien explored the power of the Ring and the seeming powerlessness of pity. All the themes his mythology had come to encompass-death and immortality, fate and free will, divine justice and the problem of evil, power and war-took on a new dimension in the journey of Frodo Baggins. Hillman's attention to specific etymologies and patterns of words used in the text, complemented by his judicious use of Tolkien's letters, earlier drafts of the novels, and Tolkien's essays, leads to illuminating and original insights. Instead of turning his interpretation to allegory or apologetics, Hillman demonstrates how the story works metaphorically, allowing Tolkien to embrace both Catholic views and pagan mythology. With this fresh understanding of familiar material, Pity, Power, and Tolkien's Ring will ignite new discussions and deeper appreciation among Tolkien readers and scholars alike"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 289-298) and index. |
| Genre/form | Literary criticism. |
| Genre/form | Literary criticism. |
| Genre/form | Critiques littéraires. |
| LCCN | 2023036881 |
| ISBN | 9781606354711 |
| ISBN | 160635471X paperback |
| ISBN | electronic book |
| ISBN | electronic book |
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