French Literature Reviews - 2026
Tolkien and Modernity
Other Literary Studies
Weinreich, Frank & Thomas Honegger (eds.) Tolkien and Modernity
2 volumes. ( Cormarë Series volumes 9 and 10 )
These volumes, dedicated to Tolkien and Modernity, grew out of the desire to further explore Tolkien as a contemporary writer—an author whose literary creations can be seen as a response to the challenges of the modern world. They comprise papers focusing on the following themes: Tolkien and the 20th century, feminist theory, time, creativity, and freedom. Although one might argue that most of these topics have been discussed since the dawn of literature, they acquired a new and immediate relevance with the defining events of the first half of the 20th century: the World Wars, Einstein's theory of relativity, totalitarianism, and the atomic bomb.
Contents of the first volume:
"Introduction", Frank Weinreich & Thomas Honegger
"Tolkien: A Man of his Time?", Anna Vaninskaya
"Against Stereotype: Éowyn and Lúthien as 20th-Century Women", Maria Raffaella Benvenuto
"Politically Incorrect: Tolkien, Women, and Feminism", Laura Michel
"J.R.R. Tolkien: A Simplicity Between the ‘Truly Earthy’ and the ‘Absolutely Modern’", Bertrand Alliot
"The Maker’s Will … Fulfilled?", Jessica Burke & Anthony Burdge
"Brief Considerations on Determinism in Reality and Fiction", Frank Weinreich
"“Man does as he is when he may do as he wishes”: The Perennial Modernity of Free Will",
Jason Fisher
"Freedom and Providence as Anti-Modern Elements?", Thomas Fornet-Ponse
"Democracy in Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings from a Socio-Political Perspective", Alexander van de Bergh
Overview of the articles and authors on the publisher's website: http://www.proaktiva.ch/walkingtree/cormareBookInfo.php?number=9
Contents of the second volume:
-"Introduction", Frank Weinreich & Thomas Honegger
- "Tolkien on Love. Concepts of ‘Love’ in The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings", Patrick Brueckner
- "The Lord of the Rings and ‘Late Style’: Tolkien, Adorno and Said", Margaret Hiley
- "An Introduction to the Dynamics of the Intertraditional Dialogue in The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Heroic Evolution", Martin Simonson
- "Slow-Kindled Courage. A Study of Heroes in the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien",
Anna Slack
- "Hidden Paths of Time: March 13th and the Riddles of Shelob’s Lair", Judith Klinger
- "The Passing of the Elves and the Arrival of Modernity: Tolkien’s ‘Mythical Method’", Thomas Honegger
- "The Shaping of ‘Reality’ in Tolkien’s Works: An Aspect of Tolkien and Modernity",
Heidi Krueger (translated by Heidi Steimel)
Overview of the articles: http://www.proaktiva.ch/walkingtree/cormareBookInfo.php?number=10
Academic scholarship on J.R.R. Tolkien has increasingly situated his fantasy legendarium within the broader intellectual and historical currents of the twentieth century. The period was marked by profound disruptions, including industrialized warfare, shifting socio-political structures, and reevaluations of human agency, which prompted many writers to rethink traditional narrative forms. Within Tolkien studies, critics have frequently examined how myth-making and epic fantasy might function not merely as escapism, but as a complex engagement with the anxieties, ideologies, and technological shifts defining the modern era, bridging ancient linguistic roots and contemporary concerns.
These two volumes, edited by Frank Weinreich and Thomas Honegger, comprise papers focusing on themes such as Tolkien and the twentieth century, feminist theory, time, creativity, and freedom. The contributions address topics including gender representation, determinism, free will, political perspectives in The Lord of the Rings, and the structural dynamics of Tolkien's fictional worlds. Readers interested in twentieth-century literary criticism and fantasy literature may find these collected essays a relevant contribution to ongoing scholarly discussions surrounding the author's work.