From Gondor to Inys: A Comparative Study Between The Lord of the Rings and The Priory of the Orange Tree

Abstract

In The Lord of the Rings (1954), Tolkien set the precedent for the subgenre of high fantasy by conceiving an extremely rich secondary world: Middle-earth, in a way it had never been seen. Afterwards, Samantha Shannon published her novel The Priory of the Orange Tree (2019), a feminist retelling of Saint George and the Dragon. In that matter, Shannon’s work displayed so many similarities to Tolkien’s in terms of narratological intricacy that it was called “the feminist successor of The Lord of the Rings” by Laura Eve on its back cover. In light of that, this paper aims to put in order a comparative analysis between The Lord of the Rings and The Priory of the Orange Tree, and attest in which aspects they converge or diverge. We studied both works’ worldbuilding and how the authors similarly provoke Eucatastrophe and secondary belief (TOLKIEN, 1997). It was concluded that when it comes to inward storytelling (RITCHEA, 2013) and temporal self-reference (PARRY, 2012), both novels are profoundly alike. However, regarding in-depth female representation, Tolkien’s books fall short. Yet, in The Priory of the Orange Tree, Shannon removed gender roles from her universe, constructing a reality where women are essentially free (BERNÁRDEZ, 2020). Thereby, we surmised that although The Lord of the Rings was a fantasy milestone and a masterpiece, there are still many aspects within it echoing the past. And that The Priory of the Orange Tree is a novel aiming for the future, as Shannon offers a world untainted by bigotry.