Finding Nature’s Intrinsic Value : Affinity to Nature and Environmental Destruction in The Lord of the Rings

This thesis examines depictions of and attitudes towards nature in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The depictions can be divided into two different categories: those that highlight awe-inspiring qualities of nature and promote the idea of living in harmony with it, and those that concentrate on environmental destruction and the characters’ ethical stances concerning the loss of nature. Through its nature descriptions and underlying ethical stances The Lord of the Rings can affect the reader’s own relationship with nature. In the thesis, The Lord of the Rings is discussed from ecocritical viewpoints, concentrating on human-nature relationship and environmental destruction. Drawing on from studies concerning literature’s ability to affect us through imagination, character identification, narrative empathy and sympathy, and narrative ethics, this thesis demonstrates how the attitudes towards nature in the novel can make the reader appreciate the natural world. Through the above mentioned means the reader may begin to feel stronger emotional affinity to nature and as a result starts seeing nature as having value beyond using it as a commodity. The first discussion chapter focuses on the awe-inspiring and magical nature of Middle-earth and shows how descriptions of it can instil a sense of wonder towards nature in the real world. After that the characters who live in harmony with the natural world are discussed: Tom Bombadil and Goldberry, the Elves and the Ents all live in close connection with nature, presenting a model of a harmonious relationship with nature. In the second discussion chapter the environmental destruction of Middle-earth is examined: the destruction of nature goes hand in hand with the actions of the villains, and the heroes of the story constantly judge those who destroy nature. Underlying ethics of the novel are further highlighted by the story of Saruman which serves as a cautionary tale of using nature as a commodity. Through narrative empathy, narrative sympathy and character identification, the reader is likely to be on the side of the heroes, and therefore the novel guides the reader in the direction of its underlying ethical stance that presents nature as having intrinsic value. The discussion on The Lord of the Rings demonstrates the ways in which literature can help the reader form a new relationship with the natural world by highlighting awe-inspiring qualities of nature and presenting a model of living in a harmonious relationship with nature, and by presenting destruction of nature as ethically wrong. As one’s emotional affinity to nature is likely to lead to willingness to protect the natural world, literature may offer us some tools to tackle both climate change and the loss of biodiversity