Tolkien’s Influence on the ‘Medievalism’ of Names in Fantasy Literature Sara L. Uckelman @SaraLUckelman @thedmnes Durham University 25th International Medieval Congress 03 July 2018, Leeds, England Sara L. Uckelman (Durham) 03 July 2018 1 / 6
The ‘grandfathers’ of modern fantasy literature William Morris (1834–1896) and J.R.R. Tolkien (1892–1973) Both steeped medieval European culture and literature. Sara L. Uckelman (Durham) 03 July 2018 2 / 6
The influence of medieval studies on names in Morris, and of Morris on Tolkien Morris’s books are written in the style of medieval romances. Many of Morris’s characters have ordinary medieval names, either English ( Ralph, Ursula, Blaise , and Richard ) or Scandinavian ( Morfinn and Gandolf ). Morris influenced Tolkien in both literary style/genre and names. Note similar names in Morris/Tolkien, e.g., Gandolf/Gandalf . Sara L. Uckelman (Durham) 03 July 2018 3 / 6
Medieval names in Tolkien Genuine medieval names: Gandalf , Thorin , Frodo , Theodred , Peregrine . Constructed along medieval (often Old English) lines: Eowyn , Eomer , Samwise , Hamfast . Distinctly non-medieval names: names in Sindarin, Quenya, Khuzdul, etc. Sara L. Uckelman (Durham) 03 July 2018 4 / 6
How medieval are fantasy names? Generic fantasy names often generic medieval names (with respellings!) Fantasy-fantasy names are explicitly distinguished. Sara L. Uckelman (Durham) 03 July 2018 5 / 6
The problem (and a solution) Problem : “Names which are not fantasy-fantasy must be medieval.” Sara L. Uckelman (Durham) 03 July 2018 6 / 6
The problem (and a solution) Problem : “Names which are not fantasy-fantasy must be medieval.” NO Sara L. Uckelman (Durham) 03 July 2018 6 / 6
The problem (and a solution) Problem : “Names which are not fantasy-fantasy must be medieval.” NO A solution Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources http://dmnes.org Sara L. Uckelman (Durham) 03 July 2018 6 / 6
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