Skip to content
1981
Volume 12, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 2046-6692
  • E-ISSN: 2046-6706

Abstract

This article summarizes the manner in which fanzine authors contextualize J. R. R. Tolkien’s fiction within diverse literary traditions. Although rarely the topic of academic discussions in the 1960s, fanzine authors regularly contextualize , and Tolkien’s unfinished fiction in terms of genre, canon and literary tradition. After examining and categorizing the authors and texts discussed in 80 fan letters and articles, I found that fan authors are almost evenly divided in the ways they contextualize Tolkien’s fiction: as part of the fantasy tradition, as an inheritor of the epic or mythological genealogy, or as part of a third more eclectic tradition.

© 2024 Intellect Ltd
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/jfs_00086_1
2024-06-06
2026-04-14

Metrics

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Anderson, Poul (1963), ‘Musings’, Eldritch Dream Quest, 1:3, pp. 3–5.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Anon. (1968), ‘News of the MSU Tolkien fellowship’, Yrch!, 1:3, pp. 1–2.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Ashworth, Mal (1961), ‘Flipping through FAPA’, Running, Jumping and Standing Still, 1:1, pp. 12–22.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Auden, W. H. (1968), ‘Good and evil in The Lord of the Rings’, Tolkien Journal, 3:1, pp. 1–4, https://dc.swosu.edu/tolkien_journal/vol3/iss1/1. Accessed 7 September 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Bailes, Len (1964), ‘Editorial’, Ringwraith, 1:1, pp. 6–13.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Barber, Laird H. (1966), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Tolkien Journal, 2:3, p. 13.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Bisenieks, Dainis (1966a), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Entmoot, 1:4, pp. 10–11.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Bisenieks, Dainis (1966b), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Tolkien Journal, 2:2, p. 13.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Bisenieks, Dainis (1966c), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Tolkien Journal, 2:4, pp. 11–12.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Blissett, William (1959), ‘Despots of the rings’, South Atlantic Quarterly, 58:3, pp. 448–56.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Boardman, John (1963), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Xero, 1:10, pp. 96–97.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Bowman, Bee (1968), ‘Gollum’s grandmother’, Hoom, 1:3, pp. 1–3.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Braude, Nan (1965), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Niekas, 1:14, pp. 54–55.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Brooks, Rick (1966), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Niekas, 1:17, p. 47.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Brooks, Rick (1968), ‘Tolkien: A survey’, Nargothrond, 1:2, pp. 15–24.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Byers, Bruce (1968), ‘Fantasy King: T. H. White’, Mumak, 1:1, pp. 9–10.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Carter, Lin (1961), ‘Notes on Tolkien: Part I: Theme and form’, Xero, 1:7, pp. 18–24.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Carter, Lin (1962a), ‘Notes on Tolkien: Part II: Names and places’, Xero, 1:8, pp. 40–44.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Carter, Lin (1962b), ‘Notes on Tolkien: Part III: Sources and influences’, Xero, 1:9, pp. 30–38.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Corlett Winter, Karen (1968), ‘Grendel, Gollum, and the Un-man’, Orcrist, 1:2, pp. 28–37.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Dogramajian, Seth (1968), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Hoom, 1:2, p. 31.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Donnelly, Jerome (2018), ‘Nazis in the Shire: Tolkien and Satire’, Mythlore, 37:1, pp. 81–102, https://jstor.org/stable/26809325. Accessed 21 March 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Duncan-Jones, Katherine (1972), review of Tolkien and the Critics: Essays on J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings, Notes and Queries, 1:19, pp. 353–54.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Ellison, John A (1989), ‘“The Legendary War and the Real One”: The Lord of the Rings and the climate of its times’, Mallorn: The Journal of the Tolkien Society, 1:26, pp. 17–20, https://www.jstor.org/stable/453220142. Accessed 20 March 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Evers, Earl (1965), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Niekas, 1:14, pp. 53–54.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Foster, Bob (1967), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Tolkien Journal, 3:2, pp. 19–20.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. ‘genre, n’ (2022), OED Online, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/77629. Accessed 19 March 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Girley, Owen C. and Witter, Richard (1965), ‘Sword and sorcery: Lord of the Rings’, Collector’s Advocate, 1:1, pp. 17–19.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Hayes, Noreen and Renshaw, Robert (1967), ‘Of Hobbits: The Lord of the Rings’, Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, 9:2, pp. 58–66.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Heap, George R. (1961a), ‘On fantasy-adventure’, Ancalagon, 1:1, pp. 2–6.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Heap, George R. (1961b), ‘The reverberatory’, Ancalagon, 1:2, pp. 2–4.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Heap, George R. (1968), ‘Of interest’, Shagrat, 1:10, pp. 2–6.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. Helms, Brian (1968a), ‘A comparison of Winnie the Pooh and hobbits’, Minas Tirith Evening-Star, 1:4, p. 27.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. Helms, Philip (1968b), ‘Narnia, Middle Earth, and Thulcandra’, Minas Tirith Evening-Star, 1:4, pp. 30–31.
     [Google Scholar]
  35. Helms, Philip (1968c), ‘[Untitled]’, Minas Tirith Evening-Star, 1:4, p. 31.
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Hillegas, Mark (1969), Shadows of Imagination: The Fantasies of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams, Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Hills, Matthew (2002), Fan Cultures, New York: Routledge.
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Hoffman, Matthew (1966), ‘The hobbit: The real story’, Tolkien Journal, 2:1, p. 5.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. Irwin, William R. (1961), ‘There and back again: The romances of Williams, Lewis, and Tolkien’, The Sewanee Review, 69:4, pp. 566–78, https://www.jstor.org/stable/27540716. Accessed 21 March 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Isaacs, Neil D. and Zimbardo, Rose A. (eds) (1968), Tolkien and the Critics: Essays of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  41. Jenkins, Henry (1992), Textual Poachers, New York: Routledge.
     [Google Scholar]
  42. Johnson, Seth A. (1965), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Niekas, 1:12, pp. 73–74.
     [Google Scholar]
  43. Keller, David H. (1961), ‘Peake’s first…’, Speculative Review, 3:1, pp. 5–8.
     [Google Scholar]
  44. Leiber, Fritz Jr (1961), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Ancalagon, 1:2, pp. 6–7.
     [Google Scholar]
  45. Leiber, Fritz Jr (1965), ‘A letter from Fritz Leiber, Jr’, Day*Star, 1:26, pp. 9–10.
     [Google Scholar]
  46. Lerner, Fred (1965), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Niekas, 1:12, pp. 65–66.
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Lunney, Frank (1968), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Hoom, 1:2, pp. 28–29.
     [Google Scholar]
  48. Lynch, Hal (1960), ‘A faithful servant named Sam’, I Palantir, 1:1, pp. 15–17.
     [Google Scholar]
  49. Mansfield, Peter (1960), ‘Middengeard: The editor’s page’, Eldritch Dream Quest, 1:1, pp. 3–6.
     [Google Scholar]
  50. Mansfield, Peter (1961), ‘On Tyrfing and…. other Fings’, Eldritch Dream Quest, 1:2, pp. 8–13.
     [Google Scholar]
  51. Mansfield, Peter and Weir, Arthur R. (1960), ‘Entmoot: The reader’s column’, Eldritch Dream Quest, 1:1, pp. 27–28.
     [Google Scholar]
  52. Mayhew, Hanna and McCombs, Larry (1962), ‘A hard look through the ring’, Gaul, 2:1, pp. 44–46.
     [Google Scholar]
  53. Meškys, Ed (1963), ‘[Untitled]’, Niekas, 1:7, p. 23.
     [Google Scholar]
  54. Meškys, Ed (1967a), ‘And, at a meeting of the Tolkien Society of America’, Niekas, 1:18, pp. 43–47.
     [Google Scholar]
  55. Meškys, Ed (1967b), ‘[Untitled]’, Green Dragon, 1:3 Supplement, p. 1.
     [Google Scholar]
  56. Meškys, Ed and Lewis, C. S. (1963), ‘[Untitled]’, Niekas, 1:7, p. 23.
     [Google Scholar]
  57. Meyer Spacks, Patricia (1964), ‘Ethical patterns in The Lord of the Rings’, I Palantir, 1:3, pp. 6–13.
     [Google Scholar]
  58. Miesel, Sandra (1968a), ‘Some motifs and sources for Lord of the Rings’, Riverside Quarterly, 3:2, pp. 125–28.
     [Google Scholar]
  59. Miesel, Sandra (1968b), ‘Some religious aspects of Lord of the Rings’, Riverside Quarterly, 3:3, pp. 209–13.
     [Google Scholar]
  60. Musgrave, Philip L. (1967), ‘[Untitled]’, Mathom Sun, 1:2, p. 4.
     [Google Scholar]
  61. Novitski, Paul (1968), ‘Paramtir’, Carandaith, 1:1, pp. 11–12.
     [Google Scholar]
  62. Paschelke, Larry (1966), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Entmoot, 1:3, pp. 9–10.
     [Google Scholar]
  63. Paschelke, Larry (1968), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Hoom, 1:1, pp. 9–10.
     [Google Scholar]
  64. Pelz, Bruce (1960), ‘[Untitled]’, Glamdring, 1:2, p. 6.
     [Google Scholar]
  65. Pierce, J. J. (1968), ‘Science fiction and the romantic tradition’, Different, 3:3, pp. 2–40.
     [Google Scholar]
  66. Plotz, Dick (1966), ‘Tolkien notes from all over’, Tolkien Journal, 2:1, p. 2.
     [Google Scholar]
  67. Reid, Robin Anne (2019), ‘On the shoulders of Gi(E)nts: The joys of bibliographic scholarship and fanzines in Tolkien studies’, Mythlore, 37:2, pp. 23–38, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26809353. Accessed 21 March 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  68. Reilly, R. J. (1963), ‘Tolkien and the fairy story’, Thought, 38:1, pp. 89–106, https://www.doi.org/10.5840/thought19633818. Accessed 20 March 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  69. Rein, Charles Jr (1965), ‘The arcane blade’, Niekas, 11, pp. 42–43.
     [Google Scholar]
  70. Reis, R. H. (1966), ‘George MacDonald: Founder of the feast’, Tolkien Journal, 2:1, pp. 3–5.
     [Google Scholar]
  71. Rockow, Karen (1968), ‘The shire post’, Tolkien Journal, 3:3, p. 15.
     [Google Scholar]
  72. Russ, Joanna (1969), ‘Joanna Russ a speech’, Luna, 7, pp. 3–10.
     [Google Scholar]
  73. Sale, Roger (1965), ‘England’s Parnassus: C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams and J.R.R. Tolkien’, The Hudson Review, 17:2, pp. 203–25, https://www.doi.org/10.2307/3848393.
     [Google Scholar]
  74. Sinclare, Anna (1956), ‘Reply to a heckler’, Science Fiction Parade, 1:3, p. 5.
     [Google Scholar]
  75. Smith, Barbara Herrnstein (1988), Contingencies of Value: Alternative Perspectives for Critical Theory, Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  76. Smith, Scott (1967), ‘[Untitled]’, Nazg, 1:1, pp. 10–13.
     [Google Scholar]
  77. Smith, Scott (1967–68), ‘Elbereth!’, Elbereth!, pp. 1–2, 4–5, 7, 9, 11, 13–17, 20–26.
     [Google Scholar]
  78. Sneary, Rick (1962), ‘[Untitled]’, Gaul, 2:3, pp. 7–17.
     [Google Scholar]
  79. Stevens, Milton F. (1965), ‘Skod Skudgy’, Feemwlort, 3, p. 33⅔.
     [Google Scholar]
  80. Strang, J. P. (1968), ‘Of sting and others’, Hoom, 1:2, pp. 10–13.
     [Google Scholar]
  81. ‘tradition, n’ (2022), OED Online, Oxford University Press, June, 3rd ed., http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/204302. Accessed 19 March 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  82. Thomson, George H. (1967), ‘The Lord of the Rings: The novel as traditional romance’, Wisconsin Studies in Contemporary Literature, 8:1, pp. 43–59.
     [Google Scholar]
  83. Tunick, Barry (1966), ‘Social philosophy in The Lord of the Rings’, Tolkien Journal, 2:2, p. 9.
     [Google Scholar]
  84. U., L. (1968), ‘Books movies reviews’, Hoom, 1:3, p. 20.
     [Google Scholar]
  85. Viggiano, Michael (1966), ‘A look at Asimov’s foundation series’, Feemwlort, 1:5, pp. 28–30.
     [Google Scholar]
  86. Walstad, Mark (1965), ‘Children’s fantasy books’, Niekas, 1:12, pp. 28–35.
     [Google Scholar]
  87. Warner, Harry (1963), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Xero, 1:10, pp. 80–82.
     [Google Scholar]
  88. Warner, Harry Jr (1968a), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Hoom, 1:2, pp. 26–27.
     [Google Scholar]
  89. Warner, Harry Jr (1968b), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Hoom, 1:3, p. 3.
     [Google Scholar]
  90. Weidner, Brian N. (2022), ‘Middle-earth: The real world of J.R.R. Tolkien’, Mythlore, 23:4, pp. 75–84, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26814268. Accessed 20 March 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  91. Weir, Arthur R. (1960), ‘J.R.R. Tolkien: A brief survey of comparison’, Eldritch Dream Quest, 1:1, pp. 7–17.
     [Google Scholar]
  92. West, Richard C. (1968a), ‘The interlace and professor Tolkien: Medieval narrative technique in The Lord of the Rings’, Orcrist, 1:1, pp. 26–49.
     [Google Scholar]
  93. West, Richard C. (1968b), ‘Tolkien in the letters of C. S. Lewis’, Orcrist, 1:1, pp. 2–16.
     [Google Scholar]
  94. Wollheim, Donald A. (1963), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Spectrum, 1:2, pp. 22–23.
     [Google Scholar]
  95. Wright, James (1968), ‘[Untitled letter]’, Mojo Entmooter, 1:1, pp. 16–17.
     [Google Scholar]
  96. Zalabak, Joe (1968), ‘Joe’s turn’, Hoom, 1:2, pp. 5–6.
     [Google Scholar]
  97. Zimmer, Paul (1962), ‘The Worm Ouroboros: First of the supernatural romances’, Anduril, 1:1, pp. 12–13.
     [Google Scholar]
  98. Zimmer Bradley, Marion (1961a), ‘Of men, halflings, and hero worship’, Astra’s Tower, 1:5, pp. 3–25.
     [Google Scholar]
  99. Zimmer Bradley, Marion (1961b), ‘Sex in science fiction’, Sex in Science Fiction, 1:1, pp. 1–8.
     [Google Scholar]
  100. Zimmer Bradley, Marion (1962), ‘[Untitled]’, Anduril, 1:1, pp. 1–5.
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/jfs_00086_1
Loading
  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): canon; fan studies; fantasy; genre; literature; mythopoeia

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test