Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-26-2001
Journal Title or Book Title
In Concerning Hobbits: A Collection of Essays on J.R.R. Tolkien
Version
Publisher's PDF
Publisher's Statement
Copyright remains with the author, Dr. Jeff Massey. The publication In Concerning Hobbits merely collected the papers presented at the University of St. Thomas Tolkien Conference
Abstract
Beowulf, is traditionally at least, a difficult text for incoming freshmen. The Hobbit is arguably less so. In part this has much to do with their respective languages: one is so archaic as to seem foreign, the other is as comfortable as an old English shoe. One is a tale told to children around a quiet fire, the other an elegy shouted above raucous barbarians at beer. Beowulf is peppered with digressions, and shot through with violent revenge cycles. The Hobbit is a relatively straightfoward quest, adventures along the way notwithstanding. They are, on the surface at least, as distinct as night and day.
Related Pillar(s)
Study
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Massey, Jeff Ph.D., "From Baggins to Beowful and Back Again: Teaching (via) Tolkien" (2001). Faculty Works: ENG (1995-2016). 5.
https://digitalcommons.molloy.edu/eng_fac/5
