The Lord of the Rings is one of the most popular stories in the modern world. In this course, students will study the movie versions of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel and learn about the process of converting literature to film. They will read and respond to classic literature that influenced Tolkien and his storytelling: Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Students will also explore fantasy literature as a genre and critique the three Lord of the Rings films.