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| Tolkien's Theology of Beauty: Majesty, Splendor and Transcendence in Middle-earth | |
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| Publication Information | |
| Author | Lisa Coutras |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan |
| Released | 2016 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Pages | xvii, 279 |
| ISBN | 9781137553447 |
Tolkien's Theology of Beauty: Majesty, Splendor and Transcendence in Middle-earth is a book by Lisa Coutras.
From the publisher
In this book, Lisa Coutras explores the structure and complexity of J.R.R. Tolkien's narrative theology, synthesizing his Christian worldview with his creative imagination. She illustrates how, within the framework of a theological aesthetics, transcendental beauty is the unifying principle that integrates all aspects of Tolkien's writing, from pagan despair to Christian joy.
J.R.R. Tolkien's Christianity is often held in an unsteady tension with the pagan despair of his mythic world. Some critics portray these as incompatible, while Christian analysis tends to oversimplify the presence of religious symbolism. This polarity of opinion testifies to the need for a unifying interpretive lens. The fact that Tolkien saw his own writing as "religious" and "Catholic", yet was preoccupied with pagan mythology, nature, language, and evil, suggests that these areas were wholly integrated with his Christian worldview. Tolkien's Theology of Beauty examines six structural elements, demonstrating that the author's Christianity is deeply embedded in the narrative framework of his creative imagination.
Contents
- 1. Introduction
- Part I. On Myth
- 2. A Theology of Beauty
- 3. Primary Truth
- Part II. On Creation
- 4. The Light of Being
- 5. Incarnate Beings
- 6. The Wonder of Being
- Part III. On Language
- 7. The Law of Logos
- 8. The Song of Lúthien
- Part IV. On Good and Evil
- 9. Being and Unbeing
- 10. The Splendor of Being
- Part V. On Tragic Heroism
- 11. The Tragedy of Túrin
- 12. Hope Without Guarantees
- Part VI. On Women
- 13. Tolkien and Feminist Criticism
- 14. The Trascendental Feminine
- 15. The Renuntiation of Power
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index