LOTR: Connection with Beowulf

I'm currently taking a master's class at St. Thomas that focuses on the Lord of the Rings. So, I thought I'd start sharing some tidbits from the class. I am completely fascinated by Tolkien's works, and am thrilled to be discovering more about them.

We've started by examining the ancient texts that inspired Tokien. Last week we read Beowulf. I was amazed to find the name "Eomer" as a character in Beowulf. Also, the word "Theoden" is Old English for "prince." (Eomer is the nephew of Theoden, king of the Rohan.)

Here is a YouTube video clip that examines some of the similarities between Beowulf and Lord of the Rings, focusing on the movie versions.

Another piece I found fascinating was the bit in Beowulf when the "thief" steals a goblet from the dragon. The entire tale is very close to what Bilbo does in The Hobbit, down to the word "goblet." As we discussed in class, however, the two dragons are very different in temperament. The worm in The Hobbit speaks, while the one in Beowulf does not. Both are deceitful and malicious, however.