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A Module in The Hobbit in Context [Tier 2]Non-Sequential Series
Mixed Lecture/Discussion • Graduate intensity

This module is part of the Academic Mastery program. Please apply to the AM program before enrolling in this course


This module is part of the The Hobbit in Context cluster.


In this module, we will be looking at the publication and reception of The Hobbit, including its adaptation to film. Our exploration will culminate in a discussion of the Rankin-Bass animated Hobbit and Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit, Parts 1, 2, and 3, to enable us to understand and critique the various film adaptations that have appeared so far.


This five-week module is designed for students who already have some experience in scholarly writing, preferably in the humanities, who understand how to read a literary text analytically, and who wish to challenge themselves to produce an extended piece of writing. Students are expected to have writing and grammatical fluency in English. The module may be repeated as many times as desired. Students watch recorded lectures by Dr. Corey Olsen, participate in weekly discussions with a member of our graduate faculty, and complete a final writing project.


Students are welcome to take modules individually and in any order that suits their scholarly needs, but this module builds upon ideas covered in "The Hobbit: The Story Emerges."


Note: This module draws extensively upon lectures originally recorded for The Story of The Hobbit. Students in the MA program who have taken (or plan to take) that course may find significant overlap in the core materials.


Format: 4 weeks discussion; 1 week assessment (10 hours video; 8 hours discussion

Assessments: summative (final project)


Goals and Skills:

  • Students who complete the module will be able to clearly articulate an understanding of J.R.R. Tolkien’s final drafting process for The Hobbit, as well as an appreciation for the final product, and an understanding of its reception over time.
  • Students who master the material will be able to produce a well-organized, structurally coherent project, synthesizing two or more ideas, that explores the final drafting process for The Hobbit, its reception, or later adaptations.

  • This course is graduate level in intensity.

    Fee: 2 Signum Tokens

    Required Texts

    The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
    The History of The Hobbit - John D. Rateliff
    The Annotated Hobbit - Douglas A. Anderson
    The Hobbit (1977) - Rankin Bass adaptation
    The Hobbit (2012, 2013, 2014) - Peter Jackson adaptation

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