Tolkien, Pullman and the Anxiety of Influence

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Philip Pullman in light of Harold Bloom's theory of the anxiety of influence. The article begins by presenting Tolkien's fictional world of Arda and its lasting influence on fantasy literature. Next, Bloom's theory and his six revisionary movements or stages are analyzed. Then, Pullman's world is compared to Tolkien's, showing how Pullman went through the stages of clinamen, tessera, kenosis, and daemonization. Finally, it is concluded that Tolkien's influence is still significant, but authors like Pullman are creating their own worldviews and challenging established conceptions.