This is a documentary produced by National Geographic that looks at the some of the cultural resources that JRR Tolkien used as inspiration for his trilogy. Tolkien based much of the Elvish culture on the Finnish creation story/epic poem The Kalevala. His inspiration for the lyrical nature of the Elvish language also came from hearing the traditionally sung oral presentation of the Kalevala. This source is valuable as it draws a clear connection between The Kalevala and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Kirk, G. S. Myth: Its Meaning and Functions in Ancient and Other Cultures. Cambridge: University Press, 1970.
This source contains many of the elements that can be found in some of the other sources that are being used, however this source combines the notions present in other sources into one comprehensive analysis. From the development of ritual and stories to the social influence those stories and rituals had, G.S Kirk weaves together all of these elements across the cultures of the ancient world. The value of this source is in its comprehensiveness as it teases out themes and archetypes and shows how they can be found in multiple …show more content…
Though the reasons that are identified are specific to fairy tales they can be generalized to be applicable to mythology as well. Jack Zipes has published many things on this topic and is considered to be an authority in his field and his work has been reviewed and deemed credible. The value of this source is the complex and complete analysis of fairy tales that reveals elements that are generally present in these stories that make them memorable and long lasting despite how they change over time. These elements are generalized and can be applied to myths, which have been used and remembered in ways that are similar to fairy