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Many times people have tried to interpret ''The Lord of the Rings'' as an [[allegory]]. Tolkien himself renounced that claim, stating he disliked allegory and that the ''The Lord of the Rings'' was not an allegory, which he also explained in the foreword to the book's second edition. Instead of being allegorical, he said that the book had a quality he called "applicability": because it was a story about universal themes and struggles, it could be likened to almost any situation in real life.<ref>"As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical. [...] The real war does not resemble the legendary war in its process or its conclusion. [...] Other arrangements could be devised according to the tastes or views of those who like allegory or topical reference. But I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author.", J. R. R. Tolkien, ''The Lord of the Rings'', Foreword</ref> This universality would result in it often being interpreted as an allegory, sometimes ironically from opposing ideological sides. For instance, J. R. R. Tolkien was a [[Roman Catholic]], and despite his statements that ''The Lord of the Rings'' was not an allegory some readers have seen [[Christian]] undertones in ''The Lord of the Rings.'' <ref>"Much as it is possible to identify allegories of the Second World war into ''The Lord of the Rings'', it is possible to identify any number of Christian allegories as well" in Smith, J. and Matthews, J.C. ''The Lord of the Rings:the Films, the books, the radio series'' (Virgin Books 2004), p.116.</ref> Tolkien himself specifically discounted the belief that he wrote the book as a direct Christian allegory—or any other sort of allegory, which he went on record as "cordially disliking" and saw as besides the point of good storytelling in the medieval sense, and preferring "applicability"—in contrast with the overt and acknowledged allegories in the works of Tolkien's friend, [[C. S. Lewis]].<ref>''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'', #129</ref>

Many times people have tried to interpret ''The Lord of the Rings'' as an [[allegory]]. Tolkien himself renounced that claim, stating he disliked allegory and that the ''The Lord of the Rings'' was not an allegory, which he also explained in the foreword to the book's second edition. Instead of being allegorical, he said that the book had a quality he called "applicability": because it was a story about universal themes and struggles, it could be likened to almost any situation in real life.<ref>"As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical. [...] The real war does not resemble the legendary war in its process or its conclusion. [...] Other arrangements could be devised according to the tastes or views of those who like allegory or topical reference. But I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author.", J. R. R. Tolkien, ''The Lord of the Rings'', Foreword</ref> This universality would result in it often being interpreted as an allegory, sometimes ironically from opposing ideological sides. For instance, J. R. R. Tolkien was a [[Roman Catholic]], and despite his statements that ''The Lord of the Rings'' was not an allegory some readers have seen [[Christian]] undertones in ''The Lord of the Rings.'' <ref>"Much as it is possible to identify allegories of the Second World war into ''The Lord of the Rings'', it is possible to identify any number of Christian allegories as well" in Smith, J. and Matthews, J.C. ''The Lord of the Rings:the Films, the books, the radio series'' (Virgin Books 2004), p.116.</ref> Tolkien himself specifically discounted the belief that he wrote the book as a direct Christian allegory—or any other sort of allegory, which he went on record as "cordially disliking" and saw as besides the point of good storytelling in the medieval sense, and preferring "applicability"—in contrast with the overt and acknowledged allegories in the works of Tolkien's friend, [[C. S. Lewis]].<ref>''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'', #129</ref>

Tolkien's scarring experiences in [[World War I]] and his distaste for destructive industrialism - seen in the books in his characterization of [[Saruman]]'s armies - has been an influence on his works, as acknowledged by himself.<ref>"An author cannot of course remain wholly unaffected by his experience [...] One has indeed personally to come under the shadow of war to feel fully its oppression; but as the years go by it seems now often forgotten that to be caught in youth by 1914 was no less hideous an experience than to be involved in 1939 and the following years. [...] It has indeed some basis in experience, though slender (for the economic situation was entirely different), and much further back. The country in which I lived in childhood was being shabbily destroyed before I was ten, in days when motor-cars were rare objects (I had never seen one) and men were still building suburban railways. Recently I saw in a paper a picture of the last decrepitude of the once thriving corn-mill beside its pool that long ago seemed to me so important.", J. R. R. Tolkien, ''The Lord of the Rings'', Foreword</ref><ref>John Garth, "Tolkien and the Great War: the Threshold of Middle Earth," available at [http://www.amazon.com/Tolkien-Great-War-Threshold-Middle-earth/dp/0618331298 Amazon.com].</ref> However, Tolkien did state that "The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision[]"—which indicates his devoted faith.<ref>[https://www.grin.com/document/22410]</ref>

Tolkien's scarring experiences in [[World War I]] and his distaste for destructive industrialism - seen in the books in his characterization of [[Saruman]]'s armies - has been an influence on his works, as acknowledged by himself.<ref>"An author cannot of course remain wholly unaffected by his experience [...] One has indeed personally to come under the shadow of war to feel fully its oppression; but as the years go by it seems now often forgotten that to be caught in youth by 1914 was no less hideous an experience than to be involved in 1939 and the following years. [...] It has indeed some basis in experience, though slender (for the economic situation was entirely different), and much further back. The country in which I lived in childhood was being shabbily destroyed before I was ten, in days when motor-cars were rare objects (I had never seen one) and men were still building suburban railways. Recently I saw in a paper a picture of the last decrepitude of the once thriving corn-mill beside its pool that long ago seemed to me so important.", J. R. R. Tolkien, ''The Lord of the Rings'', Foreword</ref><ref>John Garth, "Tolkien and the Great War: the Threshold of Middle Earth," available at [http://www.amazon.com/Tolkien-Great-War-Threshold-Middle-earth/dp/0618331298 Amazon.com].</ref>

== Sequel ==

== Sequel ==

=== The Lord of the Rings film trilogy ===

=== The Lord of the Rings film trilogy ===

'''''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy''' were three films based on the book, all directed by [[Peter Jackson]], produced by [[New Line Cinema]] and filmed in [[New Zealand]]. The film titles were derived from the three volumes:  

'''''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy''' were three films based on the book, all directed by [[Peter Jackson]], produced by New Line Cinema and filmed in New Zealand. The film titles were derived from the three volumes:  

* ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring (film, 2001)|The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' (2001)

* ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring (film, 2001)|The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' (2001)

The films were released annually in cinemas from December 2001 to 2003. DVD releases of the cinema version and Special Extended Editions have also been released for each film. Each extended edition includes four discs, two of bonus material.

The films were released annually in cinemas from December 2001 to 2003. DVD releases of the cinema version and Special Extended Editions have also been released for each film. Each extended edition includes four discs, two of bonus material.

The Lord of the Rings film trilogy received universal acclaim from critics and fans alike.  Some even cited it as "the Star Wars Trilogy for Millennials".  The trilogy has 30 Oscar nominations, winning 17 of them.  One of them being Best Picture, which was won by ''The Return of the King'' at the 76th Academy Awards in 2004.  ''The Return of the King'' is also the only film in cinematic history that won every Oscar it was nominated for, 11 in all. It is tied with ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'' and ''[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]'' as the film that won the most Academy Awards in cinematic history.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Academy_Award_records]</ref> Both the first and third films in the series also won [[Movieguide]]'s "Best Movie for Mature Audiences" award in 2002 and 2004, respectively.<ref>[https://movieguideawards.com/category/winners/]</ref>

The Lord of the Rings film trilogy received universal acclaim from critics and fans alike.  Some even cited it as "the Star Wars Trilogy for Millennials".  The trilogy has 30 Oscar nominations, winning 17 of them.  One of them being Best Picture, which was won by ''The Return of the King'' at the 76th Academy Awards in 2004.  ''The Return of the King'' is also the only film in the series that won every Oscar it was nominated for, 11 in total.

== References ==

== References ==