In this lecture, I discuss Tolkien’s own ideas about how stories should be read and why they are important. I explain some of the errors that people make when they approach Tolkien’s stories, and I lay out some of the terms Tolkien uses when he discusses the nature of story-telling. Understanding these concepts is very helpful as you read Tolkien’s work, and I’ll be referring back to these ideas throughout my lecture series.

Tolkien’s essay “On Fairy-Stories” was originally published, along with his story “Leaf by Niggle,” in a little book called Tree and Leaf. That book is out of print, but you can find the essay reprinted in The Monsters and the Critics.

Ready to move on?