Snyder, Christopher A

A response to our fractured political discourse, Hobbit Virtues speaks to the importance of "virtue ethics" by examining the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien--with particular attention to his hobbits. Tolkien's works resonate with so many readers in part because Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin demonstrate Classical, Judeo-Christian, Medieval, and even Hindu and Confucian virtues. Tolkien ennobles the small, the humble, and the marginalized in his Middle-earth writings and presents leaders who are hesitant to exercise power, are courteous, and value wisdom and learning. Each chapter in Hobbit Virtues consists of a wide-ranging discussion of a single virtue, exemplified by a character in Middle-earth, explaining its philosophical or theological roots and how the virtue is still relevant in a modern democracy.

Text and plentiful illustrations cover the history and popularity of Arthur, King of the Britons, providing archaeological research on whether Arthur indeed lived, background information on the Britons and Romans, the story of Arthur and descriptions of its variations, and discussions of the incorporation of religious elements such as the Holy Grail into the myth, and the influence of the Camelot myth on twentieth-century popular culture.