April 11, 2002

Myth, Legend, and Historic Influences in LotR
Louie V.

For relevant mythologies to LotR, I suggest reading "Tolkien's Ring" by David Day and illustrated by Alan Lee.

The description from the Barnes & Noble website follows:

"Anyone familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's epic tale The Lord of the Rings knows the literary merits of this wonderful adventure fantasy. Yet, interestingly, Tolkien's overriding ambition was not to write a great story but rather to create a mythological system for the English people. In this book, David Day delves into the inspirations and sources for the Ring stories, exploring an ancient storytelling tradition that dates back to the dawn of Western culture and encompasses Norse mythology, Arthurian legend, Celtic and Saxon myths, the classical tradition, and more. Alan Lee's evocative color and black-and-white illustrations capture the magic of these mythic characters and themes."

The book provides some good background and is worth a read.