J. R. R. Tolkien's Legendarium as Heterodox Palaeoscience

Abstract

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and its associated works are known for being tremendously influential in the fantasy fiction genre, as well as inspiring popular films and other spinoffs. The debt of The Lord of the Rings to mediaeval European literature is also widely recognised. While the role of fiction as both influence on and by Tolkien's work is widely acknowledged, the influence of a range of palaeoscience topics on Tolkien – some of which were outside the mainstream of his time before becoming accepted – are less well known. This article synthesises research into the conception of Tolkien's usage of heterodox palaeoscience in his works to explore the reception of those themes in his fiction. Not only was Tolkien himself – at times against his own inclinations – retroactively curious about the evolving scientific validity of his works, but so were his growing fanbase, especially those active in the modern realm of fringe science promoters.