Tolkien research

"Tolkien studies" redirects here. For the journal, see Tolkien Studies.

The works of J. R. R. Tolkien have generated a body of academic research, studying different facets such as

• Tolkien as a writer of fantasy literature
• Tolkien's invented languages

Biography and letters

• J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter (1977).
• The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien edited by Humphrey Carpenter assisted by Christopher Tolkien (1981).
• Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold of Middle-earth by John Garth (2003)

As a writer

• The Lord of the Rings and the Western Narrative Tradition Martin Simonson (2008)
• Master of Middle-Earth: The Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien Paul Kocher (1977)
• Splintered Light: Logos And Language In Tolkien's World Verlyn Flieger (1st Edition 1983, Revised Edition 2002)
• The Keys of Middle-earth ed. Stuart D. Lee & Elizabeth Solopova (2005)
• The Road to Middle-earth T. A. Shippey (1st Edition 1982, Revised and Expanded Edition 2003)
• J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century T. A. Shippey (2000)
• Tolkien in the Land of Heroes : Discovering the Human Spirit ed. Anne C. Petty, J. Stein
• Tolkien's Legendarium: Essays on The History of Middle Earth ed. Verlyn Flieger and Carl F. Hostetter (2000)
• Tolkien Studies ed. Douglas A. Anderson, Michael D. C. Drout and Verlyn Flieger vols. 1-4 (2004–2007)

Constructed languages

Further information: Languages constructed by J. R. R. Tolkien

Tolkien's constructed languages, Quenya and Sindarin, the languages of Elves, have not inspired much serious linguistic research. Parma Eldalamberon and Vinyar Tengwar are published by the Elvish Linguistic Fellowship of the 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 (some 3000 pages according to them), consisting of photocopies sent them by Christopher Tolkien and notes taken in the Bodleian library around 1992. An Internet mailing list dedicated to Tolkien's languages, called tolklang, has existed since November 1, 1990.

Tolkien's Legendarium: Essays on the History of Middle-Earth, a book edited by Verlyn Flieger and Carl F. Hostetter (London: Greenwood Press, 2000), contains a number of linguistic essays on topics such as the conceptual evolution of Sindarin or "The Growth of Grammar in the Elven Tongues."

In 2003, linguist and Fantasy author Helmut W. Pesch published a comprehensive book on Tolkien's Elvish languages in German. It includes etymologies and grammar of Quenya and Sindarin as well as a dictionary for both languages.

A 2009 book by linguist Elizabeth Solopova, Languages, Myth and History: An Introduction to the Linguistic and Literary Background of J. R. R. Tolkien's Fiction (New York City: North Landing Books) gives an overview of the linguistic traits of the various languages invented by Tolkien and the history of their creation.

Literature

Books

• Drout, Michael D. C., ed. (2006). J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment. New York City: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-96942-5.
• Tolkien's Legendarium. Greenwood Press. 2000. ISBN 0-313-30530-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
• Hammond, Wayne G.; Christina Scull (2005). The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion.
• Hammond, Wayne G.; Scull, Christina (2006b). The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Reader's Guide. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-007-14918-2.
• 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 (revised 2003 ed.).
• Solopova, Elizabeth (2009). Languages, Myths and History: An Introduction to the Linguistic and Literary Background of J. R. R. Tolkien's Fiction. New York City: North Landing Books. ISBN 978-0-9816607-1-4.

Journals

• "Tolkien Studies". West Virginia University Press. ISSN 1547-3155. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
• Croft, Janet Brennan (ed.). "Mythlore". Mythopoeic Society. ISSN 0146-9339. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Eden, Bradford Lee (ed.). "Journal of Tolkien Research". Valparaiso University. ISSN 2471-934X. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Hostetter, Carl F. (ed.). "Vinyar Tengwar". Elvish Linguistic Fellowship. ISSN 1054-7606. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links

• The home page of the Elvish Linguistic Fellowship, 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).
• The web shop for Vinyar Tengwar, which contains a list of the contents of all issues of Vinyar Tengwar published to date.
• Mellonath Daeron, the language guild of the Stockholm Tolkien Society.
• Tolkien's Linguistic Writings and Drafts by Ryszard Derdzinski
• TolkienBooks.net Chronological Book Index - a comprehensive index of Tolkien Publications
• A List of Tolkien's Unpublished and Slightly Published Manuscripts by Lisa Star (concentrates on linguistic materials)
• Tolkien Studies at the Wheaton College, Massachusetts, USA
• Proceedings of the J.R.R. Tolkien Centenary Conference 1992 (out of print, although the web page does not make mention of this)
• Publications of the Tolkien Society (UK)
• Michael Drout's home page in Wheaton College, Massachusetts, USA
• Verlyn Flieger's home page (associated with the University of Maryland, College Park, USA)
• T. A. Shippey's home page in Saint Louis University, USA
• Omentielva is a European bi-yearly conference on research into Tolkien's Languages, Sweden
• Hither Shore is the German Tolkien Society's bilingual yearbook on modern fantasy literature, specialising in Tolkien
• Tolkienian courses by The Tolkien Society.