Chronicles Of Narnia Vs. Lord Of The Rings

Narnia Vs. The Shire

Adventures start from a simple task, from tea time with Mr. Tumnus to Frodo's quest of the One Ring. Two well-known literary works of the twentieth century, Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia, captivate the imaginations of children and adults alike long after their authors have passed them on. Tales of magic, both good and evil, power and battles, elves and dwarves, make these stories popular. For over fifty years, C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia captured the hearts of millions children around the world. J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has sold over 100 million copies in twenty-five different languages. Films for both series have played in theaters and movie screens, becoming more recognized and admired than Tolkien or Lewis would have ever imagined. Undoubtedly, these classic stories, Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia share some similarities and also some unique qualities.

The Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia provide readers with legend and myth behind their superior story lines. Not only do humans exist in all of the different worlds, but talking animals, dwarves, wizards, and tree people also dwell in these legendary lands. Power and magic cause conflicts, and readers are able to detect the distinction between good and evil. For example, Gandalf the wizard helped in the defeat of the Dark Lord, Sauron, while Aslan opposed the evil White Witch. Certain Christian themes appear in both The Lord of the Rings and in the Chronicles of Narnia. This is no surprise since both authors openly professed Christianity. However, the Christian themes are more apparent in the works of C.S. Lewis. Aslan sacrificed his life to save Edmund's and resurrected three days later. This clearly portrays the loving sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for humankind. In the Mines of Moria, Gandalf the Grey heroically fought off the evil Balrog to enable his companions to escape the underground kingdom. Another member of the Fellowship, Boromir, gave his life to protect Frodo and the One Ring.

Although J.R.R. Tolkien did not directly call his 1000 page work an allegory, his perspective of the world and Christian faith greatly influenced his writing of the Lord of the Rings. In Narnia, Lewis clearly portrays the story of Christ's sacrificial death while Tolkien's books use a much more indirect and subtle approach to its presentation of Christianity. Numerous worlds exist in the Narnia series. Four British children pass through a wardrobe entrance into Narnia. In the Lord of the Rings, only Middle-Earth exists, home to enduring elves, mortal humans, spirited dwarves, and other creatures alike. Tolkien invented some fictional races not present in Narnia, such as the Hobbits and the Uruk-Hai. Each race speaks their native tongue, even though a Common language is existent. In contrast, it appears as if all people and creatures speak one language in the Chronicles of Narnia. Tolkien was