Utopian and Dystopian Themes in Tolkiens Legendarium

Utopia and Dystopia in Tolkiens Legendarium explores how Tolkiens works speak to many modern peoples utopian desires despite the overwhelming dominance of dystopian literature in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It also examines how Tolkiens malevolent societies in his legendarium have the unique ability to capture the fears and doubts that many people sense about the trajectory of modern society. Tolkiens works do this by creating utopian and dystopian longing while also rejecting the stilted conventions of most literary utopias and dystopias. Utopia and Dystopia in Tolkiens Legendarium traces these utopian and dystopian motifs through a variety of Tolkiens works including The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Book of Lost Tales, Leaf by Niggle, and some of his early poetry. The book analyzes Tolkiens ideal and evil societies from a variety of angles: political and literary theory, the sources of Tolkiens narratives, the influence of environmentalism and Catholic social doctrine, Tolkiens theories about and use of myth, and finally the relationship between Tolkiens politics and his theories of leadership. The books epilogue looks at Tolkiens works compared to popular culture adaptations of his legendarium.