A Close Reading of "The Lord of the Rings" w/ Dr. Corey Olsen
Wade Center
The Importance of Criticism in Medieval Drama
Tolkien didn't invent the word Middle-earth. He's drawing on a long tradition and giving it a new meaning in the way that he applies it. When I taught medieval drama at UCLA, my students would just be so excited when they read a 14th century play and this is in English that mentions Middle- earth. And so that added, especially since this was a non-Christian university to realize that Tolkien was drawing on an ancient Christian tradition.
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