July 9, 2004

The Scholars of the Rings

To the Editor:

Scott McLemee's excellent article about Tolkien scholars' quest for legitimacy within mainstream literary studies summarized an issue that archivists at Marquette University -- home to most of J.R.R. Tolkien's original manuscripts -- have observed for decades ("Reaching for the Ring," The Chronicle, June 4). I have also noticed that the majority of academics who slight Tolkien do so because they disdain the entire genre of fantasy fiction.

Mr. McLemee