23 July 2016
Tolkien on Page and Screen
J.R.R. Tolkien is one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century. His fiction has in the past 15 years inspired six blockbuster movies, as well as several independent films, yet he is one of the most neglected figures in academic literary criticism. This module begins by focusing on Tolkien’s major fiction published during his lifetime – The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings – as well as several minor and posthumous works, including an introduction to The Silmarillion. It will then move to the Ralph Bakshi and Peter Jackson film treatments, as well as and other examples of reception in literature and in different media, such as music, gaming, and ephemera. The module will also consider how far Tolkien’s experience of place, including his trips to Cornwall, Devon, and the West Country affected his work; field trips to some of these locations, including the castle ruins at Tintagel, will inspire your learning experience.
Professor Nick Groom
Undergraduate students with a GPA of 3.0 or above; postgraduate students with an interest in the subject are also welcome.
To introduce students to one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century in one of the settings that inspired his work.
GBP 1700: Tuition and social programme fees which includes a weekend in London, events on campus and day trips to Bath and St Ives.
GBP 760: Accommodation plus breakfast and dinner.
We offer a number of partial scholarships.