Homeschooling English Projects Based on LOTR
Lord of the Rings Essay Questions and Study Ideas
Aug 31, 2009
Few books have had as profound an influence on a genre as The Lord of the Rings. JRR Tolkien’s book influenced generations of fantasy writers and introduced millions of readers by proxy to elements of Norse myth, Anglo-Saxon epic poetry and Catholic theology. Homeschoolers can use his writing to explore a number of themes, genres and literary devices.
Learning Tolkien’s Poetry
The steady rhythm of Tolkien’s poetry makes it easy to memorise. Younger children could learn a short piece such as Bilbo’s Bath Song or The Road Goes Ever On; older children might like to attempt a longer poem such as Errantry. For a challenge, some homeschoolers could learn the Elven hymn to Elbereth (“A Elbereth Gilthoniel”), which is written in Quenya.
Tolkien’s poetry also provides an opportunity to introduce children to iambic pentameter. Tolkien used this metre almost exclusively – “The ROAD goes EVer ON and ON” being just one example. An exception is the dirge sung for the fallen men of Rohan after the battle of the Pelennor Fields – this is based on Anglo-Saxon alliterative poetry. Older children may enjoy comparing this poem to the Old English epic Beowulf.
Exploring Tolkien’s Languages
In some circles JRR Tolkien is still more famous as a linguist than a writer. While all of his invented languages are fragmentary, enough Quenya and Sindarin exist to be able to discern some rules of grammar and collect a limited vocabulary. Even understanding a few basic word elements such as “el-” (“star”) can help a child unlock the meanings of place and character names. Within the book, a few longer snatches of Elvish exist which are helpful for gaining familiarity with the languages.
Tolkien’s letters give some additional information about Elvish; he also discusses the languages on which he based his fictional languages, most notably Finnish and Welsh.
Studying the Literary Influences Behind The Lord of the Rings
The Kalevala, Wagner’s Ring cycle, the Old Testament, Beowulf and Norse sagas are just a few of the works which shaped LOTR. A study of the various myths and writing traditions which influenced Tolkien will give homeschoolers a greater appreciation of ancient literature and an enriched enjoyment of Middle-Earth.
Essay Topic Ideas for Older Homeschoolers on LOTR
- Tolkien based the culture of Rohan on Anglo-Saxon culture. Find out which names and words were originally Anglo-Saxon and discuss their significance.
- Rewrite a scene from LOTR from the perspective of a different character, or using a different genre (horror, crime fiction, romance, comedy).
- Why do you think Tolkien included so many poems, songs, lays and chants to LOTR? What impact do they have on the work?
- Tolkien described LOTR as a consciously Catholic work. Discuss the thematic and iconic references to Catholicism within the book.
- LOTR is often put into a number of different categories: fantasy, children’s fiction, science fiction, allegory, myth and so on. Which category fits the novel best and why?
- Tolkien was known for is vague physical descriptions of characters, as opposed to his immensely detailed descriptions of landscape. Study the language he uses to describe characters’ looks. Why do you think he wrote this way?
- Tolkien influenced hundreds of writers. Pick an author whose works owe something to Tolkien’s writings and discuss how and why he or she was influenced by Tolkien.
- Tolkien is often accused of perpetuating racism and/or sexism in The Lord of the Rings. Do you think there is any truth to these claims? Why or why not?
By mixing and matching the ideas above, a homeschooler should be able to use Tolkien's work as a basis for studying grammar, narrative devices, various genres of writing, ancient literature and religious writing. For more homeschooling projects related to Tolkien, see Lord of the Rings Homeschooling Art Projects.
 |
