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The Monsters and the Critics Paperback – January 1, 1997

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4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 297 ratings
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  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harpercollins Pub Ltd
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1997
  5. Dimensions
    5.12 x 0.64 x 7.76 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    026110263X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0261102637
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harpercollins Pub Ltd; New Ed edition (January 1, 1997)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 026110263X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0261102637
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.12 x 0.64 x 7.76 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 297 ratings

About the author

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J. R. R. Tolkien

J. R. R. Tolkien

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J.R.R. Tolkien was born on 3rd January 1892. After serving in the First World War, he became best known for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, selling 150 million copies in more than 40 languages worldwide. Awarded the CBE and an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Oxford University, he died in 1973 at the age of 81.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
297 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Christopher R. Travers
5.0 out of 5 stars His love of literature is contageous
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2010
Verified Purchase
Most of this book is spent discussing literature-- Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, fairy tales, etc. These are not hard-core philology lectures but rather discussions about the works and why they are important to the human condition.

Tolkein's love for these works and topics cannot be understated. He laments that too much emphasis is placed on dissecting rather than appreciating Beowulf, and his discussion of Sir Gawain is again full of love and awe. This is contagious, and one cannot help reading this and want to go back and read the works again.

While the fields of philology relating to epic poetry have moved ahead at a lightening pace since Tolkein's time, and hence some of his statements are rather dated, most of the material is still solid and the sense of appreciation lives on.

In the words of a Scandinavian poet:

Cattle die
Kinsmen die
The self dies too;
I know one that does not die:
The glory of the dead man.

These works are glorious and every medieval lit fan should read them.
12 people found this helpful
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Keith C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for the Beowulf Student and Scholar
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2019
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Tolkein's essay - written in 1936 - breathed new life into the study of Beowulf just as scholars had begun to ignore its value as art and begin to follow the dry paths of philology, etc. Tolkein redeemed the work and attested to its unity and power. And of course he was an unparalleled Anglo-Saxon scholar - not to mention one of the world's greatest story tellers.
12 people found this helpful
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Greg Camp
5.0 out of 5 stars For the scholar or the Tolkien fan
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2013
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This book has the essay that is the reason why we still read Beowulf, namely, Beowulf: The Monsters and Critics. That Old English poem was largely ignored by anyone other than specialists in the language until Tolkien explained to the world the wonders to be found therein. We who work with classic literature know this, but here's a chance for the fan who knows this author only through The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings to get to know the man as a scholar and to see the source for much of his famous works. Several other essays in this book give Tolkien's views on fantasy stories, showing his understanding of the genre and the foundation of his creative thinking.

Review by the author of  A Draft of Moonlight
20 people found this helpful
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ER
5.0 out of 5 stars must-have for students and scholars of Tolkien
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2021
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This book will help students and teachers in their work, but it will also help dispel the error floating around in some circles that Tolkien wrote little or no scholarship.
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rd
5.0 out of 5 stars Tolkien without hobbits
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2014
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I recently bought and read Tolkien's translation of Beowulf, and found Tolkien's notes to the text wonderfully illuminating. When I saw this volume on offer, I really wanted to see what more he had to say... and was not in the least disappointed. The lectures/essays presented in this volume are centered on medieval literature (Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight), but in one case deals with "invented" languages and in another with fairy stories. I'm not a specialist on any of these topics, but I found the essays approachable, informative -- and thoroughly enjoyable.
4 people found this helpful
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Arnold
4.0 out of 5 stars A strong defense of fantasy
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2011
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Tolkien's "Monster and the Critics" lecture/essay is easily the professor's most famous piece of scholarship. In it, he argues that readers should appreciate the poem Beowulf as a work of art rather than simply a historical document. Of particular note he defends the prominent role of monsters and dragons in the poem. Of course, more broadly - and of particular note for Tolkien's own Middle-Earth works - Tolkien justifies appreciating fantasy as a worthy genre of literature. The essay is somewhat academic, but still largely accessible to lay readers. It's interesting food for thought. However, of course, it does require some knowledge of the poem Beowulf as Tolkien follows the poem quite closely (it's not a general argument but rather tied closely to a debate over Beowulf).
11 people found this helpful
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Theresa Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars Gained a Better Understanding of Tolkien and "Beowulf"
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2013
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I had heard of this book and had hunted for it everywhere. So glad to find it on Amazon. I used it for my Brit. Lit class and will be using it in the future to give students a better comprehensive understanding of the connection between "older" British literature, and modern British Lit. As the bible states, "there is nothing new under the sun," and so I want students to figure out for themselves that great British Literature withstands the test of time.
3 people found this helpful
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Sam
5.0 out of 5 stars This book helped me get my MA
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2019
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...mostly cause my Masters thesis was on Tolkien but still. This is a great and convenient collection for Tolkien fans, fanatics, and/or frenetic college students who need useful information from Tolkien all in one place.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

InvictaJ26
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good condition
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2024
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As described.
One person found this helpful
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Beatriz Simões
5.0 out of 5 stars New. Great edition.
Reviewed in Spain on March 19, 2022
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Very complete and insightful edition of Tolkien's essays.
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Jim Pilgrim
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in France on July 23, 2019
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Original- brilliant - unique - if you already know or like Beowulf, don't miss this. A definitive work of exposition. "why Beowulf is great" - illuminating, thoughtful, witty, and scholarly -but not too scholarly. Not a Beowulf 'companion' - a Beowulf overview and explanation and appreciation. Impeccable & full of Tolkien's own profound interest and professional skill. A lifetime's insight into a world and an epoch, a vindication and a celebration of the unique poem.
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Reviewed in Italy on January 13, 2017
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A must-have book for understanding Tolkien's thoughts on mythopoyesis and on the cultural and philosofic aspects at the base of his Middle-Earth based masterpiecies.
2 people found this helpful
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Benny
5.0 out of 5 stars An incredibly insightful book. Learning Tolkien's views sheds so ...
Reviewed in Canada on July 26, 2014
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An incredibly insightful book. Learning Tolkien's views sheds so much light on why he wrote the way he did. It adds another layer to the depth of his stories.
One person found this helpful
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