SOLIDARITY IN TOLKIEN’S NOVEL THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING: DURKHEIM PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Purpose of the study:This paper reports the results of reading Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the
Ring based on Durkheim’s theory of The Division of Labor in Society.
Methodology:To this end, mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity as two basic fundamental
components of the theory as well as Durkheim’s functionalist notion were adopted to scrutinize
the novel.
Main Findings:Finding out whetherThe Fellowship of the Ring is a traditionalist society (a
mechanical solidarity) or a modernist society (an organic solidarity) and the direction towards
which it moves and whether Tolkien aims at creating a functional-oriented or individual-oriented
society were the main objectives of the article. The results of the study revealed that the society
created by Tolkien in The Fellowship of the Ring prioritizes a mechanical solidarity over an
organic solidarity. Accordingly, it was revealed that the society created by Tolkien is individualoriented rather than functional-oriented.
Applications of this study: This study will be beneficial to those who are enthusiastic to
understand more about the uniqueness of variations as an integrated aspect that shapes a larger
social culture rather than having a simple holistic view.
Novelty/Originality of this study: This study is unique since no studies have been done on The
Fellowship of the Ring based on Durkheim’s theory The Division of Labor in Society