Myths and Texts of The Greco-Roman World in Tolkien. A New Perspective of The Legendarium

Abstract

J.R.R. Tolkien’s work has often been interpreted as an evocation of the Christian Middle
Ages, yet its mythopoetic construction is rooted in far older sources. This article explores the
profound influence of classical myths on Middle-earth, revealing how Homeric, Hesiodic,
and Virgilian elements permeate his narrative. From the Odyssey to the Aeneid, from the
myth of Gyges to the fall of Atlantis, classical literature provides essential keys to
understanding both the structure and recurring themes in The Lord of the Rings, The
Silmarillion, and The Hobbit. Thus, Tolkien’s work emerges as a meeting point—more
balanced than previously thought—between Germanic mythology and the classical tradition.