The World of J.R.R. Tolkien

By: Dimitra Fimi, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Dimitra Fimi

Though there has been some contention over the title, J.R.R. Tolkien is regarded by many as the father of modern fantasy fiction. His works, including the beloved Hobbit and epic Lord of the Rings, have found a vast and varied audience since they were first published in the middle of the 20th century. Why have these stories come to define our conceptions of fantasy storytelling? What is it about Tolkien’s meticulously constructed world of Middle-earth that continues to enthrall readers across the generations?

As you will see, age-old traditions, contemporary history and culture, and “big” human questions are key ingredients of Tolkien’s success. In The World of J.R.R. Tolkien, you will join Dr. Dimitra Fimi to delve into Tolkien’s complex and multilayered mythology, examining all these ingredients and more. In these 10 lectures, you will explore and appreciate Middle-earth as medieval, mythological, and modern, a literary creation that was shaped by forces old and new. And you may be surprised to discover just how much of Tolkien’s legendarium was constructed posthumously, with his son Christopher compiling and publishing many of Tolkien’s later works after his death.

Throughout these lectures, you will learn about Tolkien’s life as a devoted scholar of languages and literature and the immense body of legends he built, while also tracing his outsized influence on the fantasy genre and the writers and other artists that would follow. From the most disparate materials, from his academic interests to his war experiences to the stories he told his children, this gifted creator fashioned a new mythology that would carry its relevance from the 20th century into our own.

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Tolkien Class

This is a great course to learn about Tolkien and his legendarium. Ms Fimi is an excellent presenter of the material.

Stunningly good overview of Tolkien’s influences and objectives

The lectures are not focused on unraveling details of plot and character, but rather the focus is on the influences and objectives Tolkien tackled in his published writings and especially wrestled with and evolved in his incomparable legendarium. As someone who has loved the Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, Beren and Luthien, Children of Hurin and dabbled through some of the History of Middle Earth, I found this wonderfully erudite. Dimitra’s website has full support for this lecture series, with additional references and readings. Very highly recommended for those interested in understanding the breadth and depth of Tolkien’s work.

Finally, A Female Voice on Tolkien

Throughly enjoyed this course. A Must-Listen for fans of Tolkien, especially femme presenting or female aligned consumers of Tolkien's work.

The professor addresses the finer points of Race and Equality that are usually thrown out with the bath water, or unconsciously accepted without further notice. I loved the care and consideration Dimitra Fimi took in looking at the whole of Tolkien's worldview at the time of writing, and later as he continued his world-building and personal growth.

The heavy religious undertones are a main course in most conversations I have personally had with other Tolkien fans, and the fact that Fimi is so much more interstaed with how religion molds the work, as opposed to the actual religion itself is refreshing.

I will be checking out her website for resources and on the lookout for other work by Fimi.

Beyond the ordinary Tolkien study

Listening to this audiobook was a pleasant surprise because I thought that I had heard almost everything on Audible about J.R.R. Tolkien. The author, Dimitra Fimi, presented new and well-organized facts about Tolkien's writing, the cultural milieu in which he lived and wrote, and his relationship with other members of the group of Inklings that included C.S. Lewis. Her book was both scholarly and interesting -- a combination that is sadly not often true. For anyone who feels like they've 'maxed-out' on Tolkien, I'm confident that they will find new insights into his life and works.

Wonderful!

This was a well-researched presentation that was skillfully delivered. A wealth of information! Highly recommended.

Excellent

Having read and listened to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings many times since my first reading in the 70’s, this lecture series provided a great introduction to the background of their creation.

Great Lectures

Dove deep into the creation and world building of Tolkiens Mythology and celebrated the devotion and time put into the books. Loved It!

Deep insight into Tolkien’s works

A multidimensional deep dive into Tolkien’s works, the legendary influences, the philological consistency and complexity, the historical connotations and more.

Fascinating introduction to the world of Tolkien

This series of lectures gives insights into Tolkien's life, work, influences and writing. The talks are accessible yet highly informative. Best yet, they made me want to go and reread the books, and prompted me to finally tackle The Silmarilion.

Fantastic overview!

I really enjoyed listening to these lectures. I grew up reading LotR and The Hobbit, but did not know so much about the author and the writing of it. This satisfied many of my questions.