How Do You Define Canon?

How do you define the canon of Tolkien's world?

This question forms an undercurrent throughout the Tolkien fandom, not only shaping individual fans' responses to the texts but forming the basis for communities within the fandom, which often differ in their approach to Tolkien's canon.

Fandom Voices is a project that is part of our monthly Cultus Dispatches column where we ask fans to contribute their views and experiences around a topic. For an upcoming column, we will be looking at how fans define canon in Tolkien's world.

All Tolkien fans are welcome for this project, whether or not they create and read/view fanworks, though there is a special section for fanworks creators. You can write as little or as much as you'd like. Responses will be published in an upcoming Cultus Dispatches column. You are of course welcome to remain anonymous if you prefer.

If you'd like to share your views on how to define canon, you can find the response form here.

Posted on 25 March 2023 (updated 22 April 2023) by SWG Moderators