Tolkien on Chaucer, 1913-1959 by John M. Bowers, Peter Steffensen
Tolkien on Chaucer, 1913-59 traces J. R. R. Tolkien's critical engagements with Geoffrey Chaucer from his undergraduate Oxford essays in 1913 to remarks in his retirement lecture in 1959. Reprinted with both Tolkien's own annotations and new notes from the authors, this book analyses his major articles such as ^"Chaucer as a Philologist: The Reeve's Tale", as well as his unpublished edition of the Reeve's Tale and his lectures on the Clerk's Tale and the Pardoner's Tale. Though his scholarship was best known for his work on Beowulf, Tolkien was also an expert on Geoffrey Chaucer. He lectured on Chaucer, edited Chaucer, and published essays on Chaucer. Tolkien on Chaucer, 1913-59 reprints many of these works for the first time, and documents Tolkien's career-long engagement with the poet and traces his influence in Tolkien's own works. Bowers and Steffensen reveal how the Reeve's Tale was a source for Tolkien's description of Merry and Pippin's battle with Saruman, and how the Pardoner's Tale influenced Tolkien's own story of men fighting to the death over a gold treasure. Chaucer emerges as a major source of inspiration for Tolkien's creative writings and profoundly formative in the creation of The Lord of the Rings.
From an interview John Bowers gave to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Decmeber, 2019, John said:
I’m working on the follow-up volume, Tolkien on Chaucer, 1913-1959, which will cover everything from early student essays to Tolkien’s comments on Chaucer in his retirement lecture.
This is a must for me. I know this is a little on the expensive side but I promised myself that whatever was published on Tolkien and Chaucer I would buy. This sort of thing is right on the money of my interests. And I bet there will be some letters details that we will want in the 'Guide to Tolkien's Letters' also, so it's a win/win.
This is a must for me. I know this is a little on the expensive side but I promised myself that whatever was published on Tolkien and Chaucer I would buy. This sort of thing is right on the money of my interests. And I bet there will be some letters details that we will want in the 'Guide to Tolkien's Letters' also, so it's a win/win.
I am really Looking forward to it. This is a work by Christopher. If you don’t have it I would recommend it.
This is a must for me. I know this is a little on the expensive side but I promised myself that whatever was published on Tolkien and Chaucer I would buy. This sort of thing is right on the money of my interests. And I bet there will be some letters details that we will want in the 'Guide to Tolkien's Letters' also, so it's a win/win.
I am really Looking forward to it. This is a work by Christopher. If you don’t have it I would recommend it.
CTs edition is fantastic. He was far more than his father's understudy, that's shown in this volume with such force.
The contents is listed for the new volume.
Introduction 1:Chaucerian in Training, 1913-23 2:Editing Chaucer, 1924-28 3:The Reeve's Tale, 1928-44 4:Merton Professor of Chaucer, 1947-57 5:Middle English Losenger 6:The Pardoner's Tale: The Story and Its Form, 1955-56 7:Valedictory to Chaucer, 1959 Coda: Tolkien on Chaucer's Retracciouns
This is a must for me. I know this is a little on the expensive side but I promised myself that whatever was published on Tolkien and Chaucer I would buy. This sort of thing is right on the money of my interests. And I bet there will be some letters details that we will want in the 'Guide to Tolkien's Letters' also, so it's a win/win.
I am really Looking forward to it. This is a work by Christopher. If you don’t have it I would recommend it.
CTs edition is fantastic. He was far more than his father's understudy, that's shown in this volume with such force.
The contents is listed for the new volume.
Introduction 1:Chaucerian in Training, 1913-23 2:Editing Chaucer, 1924-28 3:The Reeve's Tale, 1928-44 4:Merton Professor of Chaucer, 1947-57 5:Middle English Losenger 6:The Pardoner's Tale: The Story and Its Form, 1955-56 7:Valedictory to Chaucer, 1959 Coda: Tolkien on Chaucer's Retracciouns
I agree that CTs work on the Pardoner’s tale is masterful. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks very much for posting the contents. Now I’m looking forward To it even more.
Thanks very much for posting the contents. Now I’m looking forward to it even more.
My pleasure, some more information has been added to the OUP page broken down further with sone details of what is included. Very interesting and great to see that some of Tolkien's academic work is being included.
-This work documents Tolkien's career-long engagement with Geoffrey Chaucer
-Contains reprints of Tolkien's major works, including "Chaucer as a Philologist: The Reeve's Tale" and his lectures on the Clerk's Tale and the Pardoner's Tale, along with his original annotations
-Tolkien's letters on Chaucer show his radical views on editing the canonical poet to restore his authentic language
-Traces Chaucer's influence in Tolkien's own creative work, most notably The Lord of the Rings
I hope I'm deducing correctly that Tolkien's 1939 version of The Reeve's Tale will be included as well, my hunt for Tolkien Studies 5 can be put to an end then.
I hope I'm deducing correctly that Tolkien's 1939 version of The Reeve's Tale will be included as well, my hunt for Tolkien Studies 5 can be put to an end then.
I am reaching out to OUP to find out exactly what we can expect in terms of Tolkien's texts but I hope that is indeed what it means.
I hope I'm deducing correctly that Tolkien's 1939 version of The Reeve's Tale will be included as well, my hunt for Tolkien Studies 5 can be put to an end then.
I am reaching out to OUP to find out exactly what we can expect in terms of Tolkien's texts but I hope that is indeed what it means.
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