THE LORD OF THE RINGS: The Myth for our Time
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: The Myth for our Time
"Things are getting better and better and worse and worse faster and faster!", may well be the most appropriate summary of the current condition of humanity and life on earth. How do we come to understand our place in this world of constant change, when it seems we are racing towards catastrophe? How do we know what actions to take, not just to prevent annihilation, but to thrive in this new era of history? Guidance comes through understanding Myth. Other creatures know how to survive by virtue of their genetic programming. Human beings learn how to be human through stories. Stories passed on from generation to generation become the playbook for how to be a contributing member of any human society. Jean Houston says, “Myth is the DNA of a culture.” All human cultures create a mythology that unites, guides and provides meaning and purpose to its people.
Modern western civilization however, has been bereft of such a Myth; that is, until J.R.R. Tolkien published “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and more recently Peter Jackson brought the film version of Tolkien’s masterpiece to the world. Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell believed that Myth is to a culture what dreams are to an individual. Just as our personal dream material offers insight into our journey through life so does a coherent Myth provide similar guidance to the culture from which it emerged.
We will study the film version of “The Lord of the Rings Trilogy” employing the philosophy of Jung, Campbell and others to elucidate its meaning for our time and to open our imagination to call forth the new dream of the “possible human”. This analysis will include a wide ranging exploration using Jungian psychology, mythology, history, science, astrology, philosophy and current affairs. The program will include viewing clips from the films along with other video and audio material.
Part 1 ~ will include an overview of the Myth introducing the central themes and analyzing some of the main characters and symbols, such as the Ring.
Part 2 ~ will go deeper into the nature of the characters, their development and relationships, with special emphasis on the dynamics of the Masculine and Feminine principles as portrayed in the Lord of the Rings.
Extensive bibliographies and web sites will be provided so participants can follow up with their own research and bring their own creativity to this rich and fascinating vision of our shared human destiny.
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