Nostalgia for Paradise: Exile and Redemption in the Mythology of J. R. R. Tolkien

Abstract

In conducting this research, we shall follow the approach outlined by the academic José Miguel Odero in his article ‘Literature in Theology: The Work of Tolkien’. In this article, he not only highlights the limitations of the predominant hermeneutics of the 20th century—which disregarded any statements made by the author of a literary work—but also proposes a new hermeneutical method. We must bear in mind that the professor and writer J.R.R. Tolkien also presented to his publisher the literary work that would bring him the greatest fame, The Lord of the Rings, describing it as ‘written with the blood of my life’. Following a brief theoretical framework, we will cover some fundamental aspects of Tolkien’s creative journey, adhering to Odero’s proposal. We shall therefore continue to explore the various images of Paradise Lost in Tolkien’s literary creation, through the two main races: the Elves and Men. Finally, we shall examine the significance of this theme in the author’s life and thought. Thus, far from reducing his literature to a work of entertainment, we shall explore its anthropological and existential value.