Amazon Prime’s new show “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” has everyone talking about Tolkien’s famous fantasy novel again. Set to release in early September of this year, it has sparked renewed interest in reading the classic novels from those who might have only ever seen the movies, or who don’t know much about the series to begin with. It should be noted, however, that most of these fans seem to be men, at first glance. But no matter how much your local dude-bro might insist on the masculine nature of fantasy stories, pointing to the massive popularity of Elden Ring amongst male gamers or how much of classical fantasy was written by men, fantasy has actually always been a women’s game. Fret not, fellow ladies, your quest to read the lengthy novel is within your reach, and here are 5 reasons why you shouldn’t give up on this particular journey.
5. Get inspired by the (few) female characters
While The Lord of the Rings certainly isn’t famous for its diversity, the few female characters that are featured are in fact very influential to the plot. Notably, the elven queen Galadriel is one of the most powerful figures in the book, who even the primary antagonist fears. The queen’s serene elegance and unsurpassed knowledge can serve as inspiration to the girl-bosses of our world, just as much as she was an inspiration and source of hope in hers. Eowyn, princess of Rohan, is also a strong fighter who refuses to stand by when there’s trouble at hand. Always stepping in to defend her kingdom, Eowyn is a powerful political figure single-handedly responsible for running the city at one point in the story. Despite this, Eowyn is often dubbed as weaker due to her capacity to love others romantically, which is a central trait of many feminine characters. It can be argued, though, that Eowyn is empowered by her love to stand up for what’s right, and her emotionality makes her stronger. While studying political science can sometimes be difficult, especially since it remains a male-dominated field, remembering Eowyn’s power always helps me get through a tough paper.
4. Build your fantasy canon
I don’t know about you, but a fundamental part of my childhood was reading a crazy amount of young adult fantasy, whether it be the fantastic royal life described in Red Queen or the more modern twist of City of Bones. If you were like me and ate these books for breakfast, I couldn’t recommend The Lord of the Rings more. While a little more complex than the simple stories of our childhood, Tolkien is a remarkably common influence for a variety of different fantasy and magic systems. He himself was inspired by Medieval stories like Beowulf or Spencer’s Faerie Queen, but his own twist on the hero’s journey is cited time and time again in the stories of today. If you want to know more about the roots of some of the best stories of our time, Lord of the Rings is a great place to start.
3. You need an Escape from modern life
The Lord of the Rings takes the expression “it’s not about the journey, but the destination” to a whole new level. If you need a break from the troubles of modern life, this story will immerse you in an entirely different world. The attention to detail in Tolkien’s worldbuilding is arguably unparalleled, to the point where you can actually translate his invented languages to English, delve into the history of middle-earth to the same extent you can study the history of a real country, and can visually follow the journey of the main party using the maps so often included in physical versions of the book. Reading the book is almost like taking an imaginary tour of Middle Earth, as the descriptions of each locations evoke each of the 5 senses to fully immerse you in a whole new world.
2. Study up for your next (or first!) D&D campaign
While Dungeons and Dragons isn’t for everyone, and has often been gatekept from women, the emergence of fantasy cosplay and LARP communities on TikTok have increased many a lady to take interest in this fun and unique hobby. In case you don’t know, Dungeons and Dragons is a game where you pretend to be a character in a fantasy land, and along with a few friends you play through an adventure campaign (like a story-based video-game, but analogue, or in this case, like you’re experiencing a fantasy novel first-hand). Many of the common tropes found in D&D games were derived from Tolkien’s novels, such as majestic dragon fights and complex city-defence campaigns. If you’re into the game and haven’t read LOTR, I would highly recommend it, and even if you haven’t tried D&D for yourself, the novel is a great way to see if it would be something you’d like to pursue.
1. Because Fantasy is for everyone
The most important reason women should read the Lord of the Rings, at least in my opinion, is because guys tell you not to. The gatekeeping that has occurred around the fantasy genre is something that dates back generations, but everyone is allowed and should be encouraged to discover genres that might be out of their comfort zone or that might interest them. While this has shifted somewhat with the emergence of women as protagonists in fantasy novels, films, and shows, it still persists around this particular novel. In reality, women have been important figures in fantastic literature dating back to Beowulf and Spencer, and shouldn’t be kept from such a rich genre. So go, women and people of all genders! Read the Lord of the Rings. While it is long, and known for its complexity, it will feel like you conquered Mount Doom yourself once you finish the behemoth of a book. For women in particular, it might help you feel like you conquered part of the patriarchy too.
Information obtained from:
‘The Lord of the Rings’: Everything You Need to Know About Amazon’s Big Money Adaptation