7. The Unheroic Nature of War
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, war is depicted as arduous and tragic, devoid of the traditional glory often associated with battle. This portrayal mirrors the postwar literary disillusionment found in works by poets like Wilfred Owen, who highlighted the brutal realities of conflict. Tolkien’s narratives emphasize the human cost and the moral complexities of war, challenging romanticized notions of heroism. For a comprehensive analysis of how Tolkien channeled the horrors of war into Middle-earth, refer to the JSTOR Daily article “How J.R.R. Tolkien Channeled the Horrors of War into Middle-earth” (jstor.org).
