The Monsters and the Critics

The Monsters and the Critics and other essays (ISBN 978-0-261-10263-7) is the compilation of academic essays by J.R.R. Tolkien, published by George Allen & Unwin in 1983, and later in 2006 by HarperCollins. With an introductory foreword by Christopher Tolkien, it presents seven essays that were originally lectures (save one), given by Tolkien between 1936 and 1959.

It is 240 pages long. The title refers the first essay, on Beowulf.

Contents

 * "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics", given November 25, 1936
 * "On Translating Beowulf", written before 1940
 * "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", given April 15, 1953
 * "On Fairy-Stories", given March 8, 1939 (previously appearing in Tree and Leaf)
 * "English and Welsh", given October 21, 1955
 * "A Secret Vice", given in 1931
 * Valedictory Address to the University of Oxford, given June 5, 1959