The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy: One Book to Rule Them All.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS AND PHILOSOPHY: ONE BOOK TO RULE THEM ALL. Edited by Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson. Chicago: Open Court, 2003. 240pp. $17.95. ISBN 0-8126-9545-3.

This recent volume in Open Court's Popular Culture and Philosophy series consists of sixteen essays that present a variety of philosophical approaches to Tolkien's major work. While one might understandably get the impression that the volume addresses Peter Jackson's films as well (Ian McKellan as Gandalf graces the cover), the authors are careful to acknowledge and correct Jackson's liberties with Tolkien's text. Throughout these essays, the writers employ footnotes and other explanatory measures to point out for those readers who know Lord of the Rings only through the films how and where Jackson has made significant deviations from Tolkien's work.

The essays generally take two approaches to examining Tolkien's work in philosophical terms: they examine philosophical ideas within the story itself, or examine to what extent Tolkien's work reflects the philosophical spirit of his age. The former group examines a variety of topics, with an emphasis on questions of ethics and morals, and the positions of Aristotle, Plato, and Nietzsche on these issues. The latter group of essays comprises a debate about the extent to which Tolkien may be considered a modernist writer, and they focus on Tolkien's debt to existentialism and (to a much lesser extent) the religious tides of the early twentieth century.

The essays are grouped into five clusters: "The Ring," "The Quest for Happiness," "Good and Evil in Middle-earth," "Time and Mortality," and "Ends and Endings." The editors have chosen essays that focus on a variety of aspects of Tolkien's works, so by reading the collection, one gets a sense of the breadth of philosophical thought in The Lord of the Rings. The editors avoid the pitfall of several other volumes in the series, namely, choosing essays that all refer to the same episode or passage over and over. Nonetheless, certain characters, episodes, and themes are discussed with some regularity: Samwise Gamgee's devotion to Frodo and their mutual friendship; the loyalty of Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas; and the unique nature of Tom Bombadil, who receives quite a bit of attention.

One surprising aspect of these essays is the extent to which they neglect Tolkien's religious background and the importance of the various philosophical movements within early twentieth-century Catholicism, especially the Thomistic movement. Overall, however, the collection provides a number of insightful observations about Tolkien's work and his place as a twentieth-century writer, and the best of the essays leave the reader with a greater understanding of both The Lord of the Rings and the philosophical ideas in question. Especially satisfying is Douglas K. Blount's essay about Tolkien and Nietzsche, which illuminates Nietzsche's thought as much as it does The Lord of the Rings. And perhaps best of all, those readers who pick up this volume expecting an examination of Jackson's films will find even more reason to turn to Tolkien's books.