The Music of the Ainur and Free Will. Boethian and Thomistic Reflections on Providence in Middle-earth
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Master's Thesis from the year 2025 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: 2,0, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Englisches Seminar), language: English, abstract: The thesis examines how the positions of Boethius and Aquinas, combined with Tolkien's reflections on fairy stories, sub-creation, and his Catholic worldview, converge in "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" through selected character pairs. First, the concepts of 'fate,' 'providence,' and 'free will' are defined, followed by an analysis of how Boethius and Aquinas reconcile these seemingly c...
Master's Thesis from the year 2025 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: 2,0, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Englisches Seminar), language: English, abstract: The thesis examines how the positions of Boethius and Aquinas, combined with Tolkien's reflections on fairy stories, sub-creation, and his Catholic worldview, converge in "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" through selected character pairs. First, the concepts of 'fate,' 'providence,' and 'free will' are defined, followed by an analysis of how Boethius and Aquinas reconcile these seemingly conflicting ideas in their writings. The study then turns to Tolkien's philosophy of storytelling, beginning with a brief overview of his life, since "An author cannot of course remain wholly unaffected by his experience". Building on this, the central points of the essay On Fairy Stories are examined, in which Tolkien outlines his views on the virtues and purpose of fairy stories. Furthermore, the reasons why Tolkien created an inherently Christian world that remains devoid of explicit Christian elements are discussed. In the third section, character pairs from "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" are analyzed as examples of both the interplay of fate, providence, and free will, as well as Tolkien's concepts of dyscatastrophe and eucatastrophe. An exception is made for the Hobbits, where not just two but three figures-Bilbo, Frodo, and Gollum-are considered. Each is bound to the Ring, bearing it for an extended period of time and thus, to varying degrees, subjected to its power, which shapes their capacity to exercise free will. Among men, the focus is placed on King Théoden of Rohan and Denethor II, Steward of Gondor. As rulers of the two western kingdoms, their (in)ability to act proves decisive in the outcome of the War of the Ring. This is followed by a comparison of Denethor's sons, whose life paths mirror those of their father and Théoden. While Boromir falls but ultimately finds redemption, Faramir resists the temptation of evil and attains an almost saint-like quality of wisdom and goodness. The thesis concludes with a summary of the findings and results, along with suggestions for future research.
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