The Keys of Middle-earth: Discovering Medieval Literature Through the Fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien

by Stuart D. Lee, Elizabeth Solopova

Expanded second edition

The Keys of Middle-earth is aimed at students of medieval literature and students of Tolkien, as well as admirers of Tolkien's
fiction, or the filmed version of Peter Jackson. It provides a comprehensive introduction to the medieval languages and texts that inspired Tolkien's Middle-earth aimed at those new to the area. Using key episodes in The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, medieval texts are presented in their original language with translations, plus supporting essays on Tolkien the medievalist, the medieval languages, and key themes – such as the epic, runes, and Tolkien's poetry.This new edition includes essays on Gothic, Celtic, and Finnish literature; extracts from the Kalevala; further Old English texts; and has been updated to reflect recent scholarship and recent publications (e.g. Tolkien's translation of Beowulf). An essential book for all
Tolkien readers who wish to delve deeper into the background to his mythology.

Genres: Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, History

380 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 2005

About the author

Stuart D. Lee is a member of the English Faculty and Merton College, and Deputy CIO at the University of Oxford. His research and teaching focus on Old English, World War One literature, and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like The Tolkien Fan's Medieval Reader, The Keys of Middle-earth collects some of the source texts that Tolkien used or at any rate knew well and may have had in mind, or was inspired by. It focuses on The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, though references are made to Tolkien's other works.

It's more useful than The Tolkien Fan's Medieval Reader, though, as it's laid out in a more readable way, and includes summaries and discussions of how the works are related. It includes many texts both in the original language and in translation, which is helpful, too. It doesn't reproduce the texts in full, though, so if you're actually looking to read them for themselves, seek them out elsewhere. It's a good starting point, though.

[adela · Rating 4 out of 5]

read for school
definitely recommend to all tolkien fans

[Olivia Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t finished The Hobbit and The Silmarillion sections yet because I was looking specifically for information on LOTR, but this book is SO COOL and very informative if you’re interested in Tolkien and Medieval literature, or if you’re just interested in Tolkien’s influences in general!! I originally bought it to use as a source for a paper, but I think it’s really essential for any Tolkien lover. It provides all the information necessary to understand all references, given you have access to the full text of LOTR, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion. It even gives the original and translated text of sources, which is a huge bonus for me. Really digestible and a great starting point for studying Tolkien’s medieval influences!!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A valuable work to look more closely at the medieval works that inspired Tolkien so much and so early in his life. Some critics found the discussions too short to do justice to the extracts from the Old and Middle English works, but I disagree. I find it an example of extraordinary scholarly skill to distill and aggregate the most relevant linkages and how exactly they can be derived as "asterisk-reality". Overall, this work is a great addition to Shippey's "Road to Middle Earth", which stands tall as the number one reference work for anybody interested more deeply in Tolkien's philological world-building.

[Andrew Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second edition of Stuart Lee and Elizabeth Solopova's The Keys of Middle-earth and I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting the materials from the first edition and exploring the very interesting new material this volume offers - especially in exploring the 'lit and lang' of Tolkien's inspirations from Finnish (the Kalevala), 'Celtic' and Gothic source works.

This is a very important volume for Tolkien studies which allows exploration of some of the key source works offered in the language Tolkien would have read them in, with helpful translations (for after you have attempted the original - try the Kalevala its fun just to sound out these queer and euphonious words!)) and comprehensive and informative commentary which brilliantly contextualises both the source works and how Tolkien re-imagined and re-purposed specific scenes and themes from them for his own creative work.

Lee and Solopova's commentary also includes several selections of cites from Tolkien's own, hitherto unpublished, notes which he wrote for his lit and lang lectures at Oxford University - so in reading this book you actually get to see what Tolkien told his students about these great works that influenced his own creative work.

If you already have the first edition - but this second one - if you don't have the first - buy this one! It will be a key work in my Tolkien library that I am sure I will be referring to again and again.

Highly recommend!

[ika · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a must-read for all those that are looking for references in Tolkien's fiction in order to fully understand the meanings behind certain concepts and motifs taken from Old English and Old Norse verse. It focuses mostly on The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, providing excerpts that are of particular interest to us on the basis of specific fragments from the book. Hence, we are given a very nice comparison of texts with a lenghty description and notes that may help tackle with the original.
What I loved about this book, that it's rather a self-study rather than a given analysis. We are given hints, background, general descriptions of themes, and a text. And this is what matters - the ability of comparing it further by ourselves with the help of additional notes and appendices. These bits of texts were meant to fuel the need for more of the source texts, and - at least in my case - they were successful.

[Annm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book, and not just because I am a long time Tolkien fan. I found the Old English, Old Norse and Middle English literature that's quoted fascinating. must put Beowulf on the to read list.

I also found that taking German for two years in college helped me see. And understand some of the Old English text. Not much, but it was fun to try. Having the translation on the facing page helped immensely.

[Michael Joosten · Rating 4 out of 5]

By teaching mediaeval languages, in some ways this book gets closer to the heart of Tolkien's work than any analysis of Middle-earth could.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looks very exciting!