J.R.R. Tolkien, Romanticist and Poet

Julian Eilmann

Cormarë Series No. 36

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J.R.R. Tolkien, Romanticist and Poet
Sleeps a song in things abounding
that keep dreaming to be heard:
Earth"s tune will start resounding
if you find the magic word.

Joseph v. Eichendorff's (1788–1857) famous poem "Wünschelrute" expresses what lies at the heart of the romantic weltanschauung: a transcendent secret surrounds us and can be roused by romantic individuals with the help of poetry and art. As a consequence of this romantic perspective the world regains its fundamental magical quality. Although dating back to the first half of the 19th century, the romantic weltanschauung underlies the life and work of many representatives of later periods, J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) amongst them.

This new monograph by Julian Eilmann fills a void in Tolkien scholarship in its analysis and appreciation of the genuinely romantic quality of his legendarium. In context of the historical concepts of Romanticism Eilmann traces these aspects in Tolkien's poetic theory and literary work and especially focuses on Tolkien's often neglected poetry in which the romantic spirit manifests itself most vividly. The book furthermore examines the romantic motifs in classic fantasy novels like George MacDonald's Phantastes (1858) or Lord Dunsany's The King of Elfland's Daughter (1924), thus illustrating the significant influence of romantic aesthetics on modern fantasy literature. Tolkien's defense of romantic imagination and his immense popularity make him one of the most influential representatives of the romantic spirit in the 20th and 21st centuries.

 
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Table of contents

Preface and Acknowledgements

Part I: Introduction

1 Explanation and Legitimation of the Research Questions within the Scope of Tolkien Research
2 Methodological Foundation of the Study
3 Research Approach

Part II: The Romanticist

1 The Nature of Romanticism
1.1 Romanticism: Approaching a Controversial Term
1.2 Romanticism as a European Phenomenon
1.3 Yearning for the Infinite: The Essence of Romanticism

2 Gems All Turn Into Flowers: Tolkien and Romanticist Poetology
2.1 A Window into the Infinite: The Romanticist Poetology
2.2 Colonies of Paradise: The Dream of a New Mythology in Romanticism and in Tolkien
2.3 Regaining of a Clear View: The Romanticist Poetology in Tolkien's Theory of Fantasy
2.4 When We are Enchanted: The Romanticist Re-enchantment of the World

3 Drenched in Magic: Romantic Fantasy of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries
3.1 The Very Treasury of all Romantic Things: Lord Dunsany's The King of Elfland's Daughter
3.2 Beauty beyond Time: Kenneth Morris' "Sion ap Siencyn"
3.3 The Voiceless Longing of My Heart: George MacDonald's Phantastes and Tolkien's Smith of Wootton Major
3.3.1 Achieving Stories of Power and Beauty: Tolkien's Reception of MacDonald within the Scope of Attraction and Aversion
3.3.2 Insight into the Very Nature of Things: Romantic Fantasy in MacDonald's and Tolkien's Poetology
3.3.3 A Gush of Wonderment and Longing: George MacDonald's Phantastes
3.3.4 A Poet Without Words: The Story-within-a-Story of Cosmo von Wehrstahl in Phantastes

4 His Heart Afire with Bright Desire: Romanticist Motifs in Tolkien's Work
4.1 For the Star Shone Bright on his Brow: Romanticist Motifs in Smith of Wootton Major
4.2 Unquenchable Longing: Eriol, the Romantic in Fairyland
259
4.2.1 A Fair House and Magic Gardens: Romantic Landscape in The Book of Lost Tales
4.2.2 Happy Wonderment: Eriol, the Romantic in the Realm of Faery
4.3 Some Other Dearer Thing: Romantic Nostalgia in Tolkien's Work
4.3.1 His Little Hobbit-hole: Home as a Place of Longing
4.3.2 A Springless Autumn: Historical Nostalgia
4.3.3 One who Visits a Strange Country: Existential Homesickness in Middle-earth
4.4 O! It's Knocking at My Heart: Romanticist Motifs in Tolkien's Early Poetry
4.5 An Ever-eve of Gloaming Light: Romanticist Poems from the Context of the Lost Tales

Part III: The Poet

1 More Poetaster than Poet: Tolkien's Poems in the Scope of Research

2 Appetite for Music and Poetry: Songs and Poetry as Part of the Cultural Communication in Middle-earth
2.1 He Rode Singing in the Sun: Speaking in Songs
2.2 The Right Song for the Occasion: Folk Songs, Occasional Poetry and Hiking Songs in Middle-earth

3 Inside a Song: Songs, Poetry and Magic in Middle-earth
3.1 Words that Take Shape: The Creative Power of Poetry
3.2 A Merry Fellow: Tom Bombadil and the Fountainhead of all Poetry
3.3 Songs of Power: On the Relationship between Songs, Magic and Art in Middle-earth
3.3.1 Lord and God of his Private Creation: On the Relationship between Magic and Song
3.3.2 A Song of Surpassing Loveliness: Lúthien Tinúviel's Siren's Song
3.3.3 Contempt for Things Save Himself: The Perverted Artist
3.3.4 Summary and Outlook
3.4 Music that Turns into Running Water: The Poetic Transcendental Experience

4 Tra-la-la-lally: Songs and Poems in The Hobbit
4.1 We Must Away Ere Break of Day: Folk Songs and the Collective Song Tradition
4.2 The Lakes Shall Shine and Burn: The Political Function of Songs and Poetic Transmission
4.3 On the Spur of a Very Awkward Moment: Occasional Poetry in The Hobbit
4.4 Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold: The Poetic Exposition of the Novel
4.5 Summary

Part IV: Conclusion and Outlook

List of Abbreviations and References

Bibliography

Index

 
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Front cover

J.R.R. Tolkien: Romanticist and Poet The cover illustration is 'Tuor looks out onto the Sea' by Anke Eissmann. (link to her website here)

Click to enlarge

 
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German edition

J.R.R. Tolkien: Romantiker und Lyriker, German edition J.R.R. Tolkien, Romanticist and Poet was first published in German as J.R.R. Tolkien: Romantiker und Lyriker, 2016 by Oldib Verlag (ISBN 978-3-939556-53-4) and goes goes back to Julian Eilmann's PhD thesis, submitted in 2016 at the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.

 
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Announcements

Eight book reviews (4th July 2023)
Three book reviews in Beyond Bree (20th January 2019)
Two book reviews in Beyond Bree (20th March 2018)
JRR Tolkien - Romanticist and Poet is published (30th September 2017)
JRR Tolkien - Romanticist and Poet (21st July 2017)
Forthcoming and planned publications (21st July 2017)

 
xxx pages, Walking Tree Publishers 2017, Cormarë Series No. 36, ISBN: 978-3-905703-36-8.
 


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