LotR

The Lord of the Rings and The Great Mother

I've written a Jungian analysis of The Lord of the Rings, where I explore how Tolkien’s epic reflects archetypal images and themes. As we will see, The Lord of the Rings is primarily about the mother archetype and the protagonist's individuation process.

In my analysis I assume that the reader has basic knowledge of Jungian psychology (otherwise, I recommend having Daryl Sharp's Jung Lexicon close at hand), has read Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and reads my comments sequentially.

The Lord of the Rings

Prologue

The Fellowship of the Ring - Book One

1. A Long-expected Party

2. The Shadow of the Past

3. Three is Company

4. A Shortcut to Mushrooms; 5. A Conspiracy Unmasked

6. The Old Forest

7. In the House of Tom Bombadil

8. Fog on the Barrow-downs

9. At the Sign of the Prancing Pony; 10. Strider

11. A Knife in the Dark

12. Flight to the Ford

The Fellowship of the Ring - Book Two

1. Many Meetings

2. The Council of Elrond

3. The Ring Goes South

4. A Journey in the Dark

5. The Bridge of Khazad-dûm

6. Lothlórien; 7. The Mirror of Galadriel

8. Farewell to Lórien

9. The Great River; 10. The Breaking of the Fellowship

The Two Towers - Book Three

1. The Departure of Boromir; 2. The Riders of Rohan; 3. The Uruk-hai

4. Treebeard (with A Detour into Intuitive Writing)

5. The White Rider

6. The King of the Golden Hall

7. Helm's Deep; 8. The Road to Isengard

9. Floatsam and Jetsam; 10. The Voice of Saruman; 11. The Palantír

The Two Towers - Book Four

1. The Taming of Sméagol

2. The Passage of the Marshes

3. The Black Gate is Closed; 4. Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit; 5. The Window on the West

6. The Forbidden Pool; 7. The Journey to the Cross-roads; 8. The Stairs of Cirith Ungol

9. Shelob's Lair

10. The Choices of Master Samwise

The Return of the King - Book Five

1. Minas Tirith

2. The Passing of the Grey Company

3. The Muster of Rohan; 4. The Siege of Gondor

5. The Ride of the Rohirrim; 6. The Battle of the Pelennor Fields

7. The Pyre of Denethor; 8. The Houses of Healing; 9. The Last Debate; 10. The Black Gate Opens

The Return of the King - Book Six

1. The Tower of Cirith Ungol

2. The Land of Shadow

3. Mount Doom I

3. Mount Doom II

4. The Field of Cormallen; 5. The Steward and the King

6. Many Partings

7. Homeward Bound; 8. The Scouring of Shire

8. The Grey Havens

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