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Tolkien On Fairy-Stories
£10.99
TOLKIEN, J R R
Product Details
ISBN: 9780007582914
Author: TOLKIEN, J R R
Pages: 320
A new expanded edition of Tolkien’s most famous and most important essay, which defined his conception of fantasy as a literary form and led to the writing of The Lord of the Rings. This edition is accompanied by a critical study of the history and writing of the text.
J.R.R. Tolkien's "On Fairy-stories" is his most-studied and most-quoted essay. It serves as an exemplary personal statement of his views on the role of imagination in literature and is an intellectual tour de force, vital for understanding Tolkien's achievement in writing The Lord of the Rings.
Key Details About "On Fairy-stories"
- The essay comprises about 18,000 words.
- In 1943, Tolkien expanded the essay, writing many more pages of his views. These were originally condensed into or cut from the published version.
- These unpublished passages, potentially half as much writing as the essay itself, include significant elaborations on Tolkien's views of other writers. Their publication represents a major contribution to Tolkien studies.
Included in This New Critical Study:
- An introductory essay: Sets the stage for Tolkien's 1939 lecture (the origin of the essay) and places it within a historical context.
- A history of the writing of "On Fairy-stories": Covers the original lecture as delivered and continues through to its first publication in 1947.
- The essay proper: Presented in its corrected form as published in Tree and Leaf (1964).
- Commentary and notes: Explores the allusions in the text and details the revisions Tolkien made to the published version in Tree and Leaf.
- Previously unpublished material: Important passages not included in the essay as published, accompanied by commentary from the editors.
Why This Edition Matters
Contained within "On Fairy-stories" are the roots of the tree of tales that bore such glittering fruit in Tolkien’s published and unpublished works. Flieger and Anderson, through their literary archaeology, reveal the extraordinary genesis of this seminal work. Their engaging commentary discusses how Tolkien's discoveries during the writing of this essay shaped his creative output for the rest of his life.
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Tolkien On Fairy-Stories
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