Tolkien fans at the University of Northern Colorado may be excited to know that they can now take a course on the Professor. “The World of J.R.R. Tolkien” (MIND 288), taught by Kristin Bovaird-Abbo, will focus on Tolkien’s works as well as his influence on modern literature.
“This course seeks to understand the appeal of Tolkien’s middle-earth by situating it within the context of Tolkien’s work as artist and scholar alongside his medieval sources and modern parallels,” said Bovaird-Abbo. “We will also analyze clips from the most recent live-action film versions of ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit,’ discussing the changes introduced by director Peter Jackson to Tolkien’s original works.”
The course is for anyone with an interest in Middle-earth, whether they are longtime fans of the books or have just come into the fandom via Peter Jackson’s films.
“I would recommend this class to any Tolkien fan or anyone who is interested in getting to know the author and his works better,” said Cat Hildebrand, a freshman at the college. “I took the class even though I knew very little about Tolkien’s works. My background knowledge was limited to the old illustrated version of ‘The Hobbit’ and Peter Jackson’s movies, so this class is a good way to fully read all of his novels and other works.”
It is the first time this course is being offered, though Bovaird-Abbo hopes the positive reactions from students will be enough to offer it again.
Interested students should keep an eye out and contact Dr. Kristin Bovaird-Abbo for more information: Kristin.BovairdAbbo@unco.edu
