Cardinal Vices in Middle-Earth
Cardinal Vices in Middle-Earth analyses Tolkien’s approach to the depiction of vices and virtues in three Middle-earth works: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.
While providing a general synthetizing overview of up-to-date research in the topic, its uniqueness consists in the fact that it goes beyond what has yet been written in the field by attempting to present a complex comparative analysis of the role of chosen vices and virtues in the three works, focusing on the seven cardinal vices and their opposing virtues as recognized by the Catholic Church. These were chosen due to the fact that Tolkien was a devout Catholic who implemented many aspects of his faith into his writing, so it is presumed that his faith influenced also his depiction of vices and virtues.
About the Author
Martina Juričková
PhD, Postdoc Assistant, Tolkien Scholar
Martina is a postdoc assistant at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovakia. She graduated in English language teaching followed by a doctorate in English studies, with primary focus on English literature. In her research, she has focused primarily on Tolkien’s work, having written theses on the motif of friendship in The Lord of the Rings, the concept of false friendship, and finally on virtue and vice in Tolkien’s works. Apart from local academic journals, she has published shorter articles in Tolkien studies magazines, such as Amon Hen, Mallorn, and Anor, and presented at a number of Tolkienist conferences.