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

by Stuart D. Lee, Elizabeth Solopova

The Keys of Middle-Earth uniquely introduces the reader to the world of Medieval Literature through the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien. Using key episodes in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, readers are taken back to the works of Old, Middle English and Old Norse literature that so influenced Tolkien. The original texts are presented with helpful new translations to help the reader approach the medieval poems and tales, and introductory essays draw on recent scholarship and Tolkien's own unpublished notes. Presenting a new era of Tolkien studies, this book will be of use to students (and teachers) of Medieval/Old English literature and general readers interested in the origins of Tolkien's most widely-known works.

Genres: Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, History

296 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!!

[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!