I’m looking to use the Lord of the Rings trilogy as my topic for research. The trilogy, penned by J.R.R. Tolkien, is one of the most celebrated trilogies of its genre or any, and has had a profound impact on the fantasy genre. Its themes and characters can be found influencing the plots and subtexts of many cultural texts since its release. The books were turned into movies in 2001-2003, all three of which were critically acclaimed and received numerous awards. Nevertheless, its newfound prominence in pop culture led to a rebirth of Tolkien’s classic by a vastly wider audience, and one (if not two) new generations.

In my research, I will examine exactly how society has changed the trilogy (high culture to pop culture, a common topic of our earlier discussions), and how it has changed society. The books and the movies will be examined separately at first, with research brought in surrounding the reactions of each upon release. Ultimately, however, the two will be examined together. This will include fan reactions, increase in book sales, profits made from the movies and associated marketing crusades, etc. The cultural implications of the films’ successes will be examined under the lens of many of the theories we’ve studied, including hegemony, Marxism, and culturalism. What I aim to do in this essay is show how the LotR trilogy has faded from the public eye and then stormed back, and the cultural processes which allowed both the fading as well as the storming. Subsequently, I want to examine the big picture, taking the books and movies as one and evaluating the effect on society by the two. This last part might be a bit ambitious…we’ll see how the rest goes first.

I don’t intend to examine the thematic elements of the film, although it might be interesting to mention the involvement of A-list stars on the project, as well as “teen heart throb” Orlando Bloom. While the books and films undoubtedly contain profound subjects for thought, they will not take the focus in my research paper. Rather, the effects of the text on society will take precedence.

In all likelihood, interviews with fans of the books, movies, or both will be conducted and included in the paper, though no such interviews have been arranged yet.

Of course, any suggestions, questions, or whatever are very welcome.