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One World To Rule Them All: How J.R.R. Tolkien Used Original Intertext to Create Middle-Earth

  • Caitlin Eha University of Central Florida
Keywords: Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, intertextuality, rhetorical analysis

Abstract

J.R.R. Tolkien is well known today as a beloved and skillful fantasy author. He is best known for his novels set in the mythical world called Middle-Earth, a realm that, although fictitious, has been fascinating and enchanting readers for many years. This essay argues that the rhetorical element which made (and continues to make) Tolkien's novels so popular and successful was his skillful use of intertextuality—specifically, his use of “original intertext,” a concept unique to this paper. Original intertext is a type of intertextuality that draws on original content created by the same author who is using the intertext. By examining three key elements of Tolkien's original intertext—legend, landscape, and language—this paper demonstrates how he employed intertextual rhetoric to make Middle-Earth seem like a real place to his readers, and thereby shows how modern creative writers can emulate his use of rhetoric to make their own fantasy worlds just as powerful and enduring.

Author Biography

Caitlin Eha, University of Central Florida

Caitlin Eha is a student of The Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida. She is majoring in English with a focus in Creative Writing and minoring in Marketing. Writing has been her passion ever since she was a small child, and although fiction is her favorite genre, she also enjoys writing poetry, rhetorical research, and more. She hopes to establish a writing career prior to graduation and eventually work as a novelist.

Published
2016-04-25
How to Cite
EhaC. (2016). One World To Rule Them All: How J.R.R. Tolkien Used Original Intertext to Create Middle-Earth. Young Scholars in Writing, 13, 112-124. Retrieved from https://youngscholarsinwriting.org/index.php/ysiw/article/view/231
Section
Spotlight on First-Year Writing