MULTIFACETEDNESS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN’S WORKS: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL, GENDER AND EXISTENTIAL ASPECTS

Abstract

“The Lord of the Rings” became a cult book of the 20th century and made its author, linguist professor J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973) world famous and one of the most popular writers. His trilogy outgrew the boundaries of a literary work, and became close to the origins of the “Tolkienists” subculture. Turning to his mythology, they embodied the principle of not even secondary (since this is the creation of the English writer and scientist), even third-order demiurges. The secret of the undeniable success and enduring popularity of J. Tolkien’s novel lies not only in the writer’s talent, which, unfortunately, did not have a very wide field for disclosure, but also in his own – conscious or subconscious – belief in the reality of creation. The narrative style of J. Tolkien is consistent, logical, devoid of haste and formalism. It (style) covers the neatness of the composition, the talented stringing of events, subtle and good humor and a certain percentage of pathos. The writer considered The Silmarillion, not The Lord of the Rings, to be his life’s work. The world of Middle-earth is perceived by the reader as real, because it (the world) is created by divine entities, experiences times of its prosperity and destruction. J. Tolkien’s work is marked by repeated references to autobiographical material, to realities from personal life. The world of J. Tolkien’s works is predominantly male. The images of elves, who linked their fate with mortals, are surrounded by an atmosphere of tragedy and self-sacrifice. Having made immortality a logical part of his world, the cult writer of the century at the same time conducts a psychological and creative experiment testing a person and creates a moral ideal that is worthy of eternity due to the understanding of the world structure and his own role and place in it. The mythology created by J. Tolkien is characterized by a clear gender division. As a Christian believer, he could not imagine the existence of such a coherent and organized world without God. Despite the attention paid to J. Tolkien’s works by readers and researchers, there are still many mysteries in the world he created. The depth and relevance of the problems raised in the works is also impressive.