Cultural Perceptions of Magic and the Subsequent Construction of the Magical Character in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Fellowship of the Ring

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Arielle Reed

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Returning from the trenches of World War I, J.R.R Tolkien said: “An author cannot remain wholly unaffected by his experience” (“Influences on The Lord of the Rings”). Indeed, it can be argued that an author’s work is inextricable from his culture, life’s trials and adventures, and that most (if not all) aspects of a novel are inspired by an author’s personal history. I am especially interested in understanding how specific aspects of an author’s culture impact their creation of fictional characters. Although Frank L. Baum and J.R.R Tolkien led lives separated by an ocean, their two revolutionary novels are unarguably connected by the fantasy genre. Yet despite the notable similarities between Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring (1954), my research will largely seek to contrast the two books, examining the dissimilar cultural perceptions of magic in 19th century America and 20th century England that influenced Baum and Tolkien’s growth into writers, and exploring the subsequent differences in the construction of the magical characters within these stories. I am particularly interested in understanding how these perceptions of magic impacted the creation of characters such as Glinda the Good Witch, The Great and Powerful Oz, The Wicked Witch of the East, Saruman, Sauron (The Necromancer), and Gandalf the Grey.

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My research will investigate how America’s notorious condemnation of magic, and Europe’s longer history with the mystic was vocalized in 19th century America when Baum was writing Oz, and 20th century England when Tolkien was writing The Fellowship. Further, I am interested in understanding how these 19th and 20th century opinions made Baum’s story more resistant to positive magical figures, and Tolkien’s story more welcoming of them. These cultural sentiments toward magic can be detected even in a surface read of Oz and The Fellowship themselves. For instance, the Wizard of Oz and Sauron (or The Necromancer) are both formidable, ruling figures viewed by the narration from afar, yet Oz is revealed to be powerful only through illusion while Sauron’s power is truly evil and dangerous (Baum; Tolkien). It can be argued that magical characters like these personify America and England’s long-held views of magic through traits like their strengths/weaknesses, resistance to temptation/embracing of temptation, and inherent goodness/inherent evilness, as well as through their broader role within the story. Lastly, these characters exemplify the polar opinions of magic that were reinforced in 19th century America and 20th England through literature, film, theatre, and the arts—specific aspects of culture that I intend to analyze in-depth within my research.

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Pitt’s London Field Studies program gives me the unique opportunity to research in both America and England, giving me a closer understanding of the perceptions of magic in each country and how they influenced Baum and Tolkien’s books. To execute this project, I plan to delve into the archives of the Library of Congress, which houses several original letters written by Baum about his book’s success, as well as other documents like original Oz artwork, copyright patents, early reviews, and critical receptions to both books, which will provide insight into his and his culture’s view on magic. I will also take advantage of the Carnegie Library and  the Elizabeth Nesbitt Hillman Special Collection at Hillman Library, which includes the fascinating book Finding Oz: How L. Frank Baum Discovered the Great American Story (Schwartz). Further, I will look at the New York Public Library’s digital collection, which contains original illustrations from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. I will also interview experts at The International L. Frank Baum & All Things Oz Historical Foundation in Chittenango NY over web-chat, phone or potentially in person over spring break. I plan to be in contact with the Tolkien Estate, The British Library, and the British Museum in order to discover more about their collections regarding Tolkien’s work. In addition to looking specifically at each author’s original book, as well as secondary sources regarding that text, I will search through all the above locations to find information on the broader cultural perceptions of magic in 19th century America and 20th century England.  The continued advice of Special Collections librarian Clare Withers, my mentor Dr. Lori Campbell, and Office of Undergraduate Research Director Patrick Mullen will additionally prove invaluable to my research.

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Hugely important to this project is the act of physically visiting London itself. A city imbued with fantasy and storytelling, the incredible number of resources it provides would be incalculable assets to my project, especially in regard to J.R.R. Tolkien. In London, I would have the opportunity to view artifacts such as Tolkien’s original letters in person—many of which are written to his grandson about the LOTR books—which are housed in the British Library. Additionally, the Bodleian Library in Oxford holds numerous valuable Tolkien artifacts, such as a map of Middle Earth annotated by Tolkien himself. I am also thrilled at the opportunity to reach out to Christopher Tolkien (J.R.R Tolkien’s son who edited many of the Lord of the Rings novels), who I intend to ask to meet in person to discuss The Fellowship of the Ring and his father’s beliefs on magic, as well as to inquire more about his own life experience regarding the fantastic (“Credits”). The information I collect, assertions I make, and conclusions I draw will culminate in an in-depth academic paper that I intend to share online. 

Lastly, I have yet to fly across an ocean, let alone leave the United States—and the opportunity to explore London while learning more about two stories I have always loved is an almost unfathomable opportunity. The London Field Studies program provides a unique opportunity for me to engage with two texts I have been fascinated with for years, access a wealth of new information and ideas while conducting in-depth academic research, explore a new country, and further my personal goals as an aspiring author. I would be thrilled and honored if I was accepted into the pro

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

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Baum, L. Frank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. New York, George M. Hill, 1900. 

    "Bodleian Libraries Acquires Rare Map of Middle-Earth Annotated by Tolkien." Bodleian Libraries-University of Oxford, Oxford, 3 May 2016, www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/news/2016/may-03.

    "Credits." The Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Estate Limited, 2015,             www.tolkienestate.com/en/paths/credits.html. Accessed 21 Oct. 2016.

"Influences on The Lord of the Rings." National Geographic: Beyond the Movie, National Geographic,     www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/influences.html. Accessed 27 Oct. 2016.

Schwartz, Evan I. Finding Oz: How L. Frank Baum Discovered the Great American Story. Houghton         Mifflin Harcourt, 2009.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Fellowship of the Ring. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. Print.