Anglo Saxon Influences on Lord of the Rings

Anglo Saxon Influences on Lord of the Rings

Anglo-Saxon mythological literature built an outline for J.R.R. Tolkien's epic high fantasy novels, The Lord of the Rings.

With elves slaying goblins, trolls fighting off giant eagles, giants side by side with live trees fighting off the evil orcs ( race of creature soldiers part of Silmarillion army), influences from Anglo-Saxon literature could not be more perceptible.

Some of the earliest works of the Anglo-Saxon time period are the lively verses of Beowulf. Beowulf is the all-heroic savior of a village in distress. A hero that demonstrates bravery, wit and full- out strength. Beowulf is faced with mythologic creatures with powers, seemingly indefensible by a human. However, Beowulf is able to overcome what surely seemed impossible.

 These are the founding themes to a whole era of literature. Heroes, taking on larger than life obstacles, in the face of implausible danger, taking on unthinkable feats, showing unimaginable bravery, along with brilliant tactics, while still bearing relative human qualities, such as emotion, logic, faults, mistakes, and ultimately mortality and pain. These human qualities, keep readers attached to these heroic characters on these fictional adventures. These are the themes to the Anglo-Saxon pieces of literature and not forgetting, the themes in which The Lord of the Rings is built upon.

Frodo is a creature called a hobbit. Tolkien's hobbits, weak and powerless in a world of such great magic, are those closest to humans. Hobbits, simple creatures, with big hearts and vigorous determination and emotion, much like humans, will take on any calling no matter how traitorous. Frodo, a hobbit, exemplifies this more than any other hobbit.

After Frodo's grandfather decides to retire from his home and travel, Frodo inherits one of his grandfather's most dreaded possesions, the Ring of Sauron. Sauron is an all evil ruler, who after being slaughtered, put his power into this all powerful ruling ring, and gains power when...

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