LIMINALITY AS A REFLECTION OF TRANSITIONAL POLICIES IN LITERATURE AND SOCIETY; [A LIMINARIDADE COMO REFLEXO DAS POLÍTICAS DE TRANSIÇÃO NA LITERATURA E NA SOCIEDADE]

Background: Today, philological research with an interdisciplinary focus increasingly centers on categories characterized by paradox, peculiarity, and deviation from the norm, among which the phenomenon of liminality is of particular scholarly interest. Objective: The aim of the study is to analyze the imagery of liminality in J.R.R. Tolkien' s "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, with a focus on liminal characters, states, time, and space. Materials and Methods: The study employed qualitative analysis methods. Particular attention was given to key categories within the concept of liminality, such as the transition plot, liminal discourse, and liminal imagery. A component analysis of liminal elements was conducted, including architectural structures and locations, as well as the states of characters at critical moments of their transitions. Results: The analysis revealed that the world presented in Tolkien's trilogy is in a constant state of liminality. The characters move through liminal spaces and encounter liminal characters and states, reflecting both their internal and external transformations. Architectural elements such as Moria and Minas Tirith function as symbolic liminal spaces, enhancing the significance of the events that occur. The study also focuses on key characters like Frodo and Aragorn and their transitions through liminal stages, which alter their essence and status. Conclusion: Liminality in Tolkien's literature plays a crucial role in creating intermediate and transitional states that reflect both the internal changes of the characters and shifts in the world order. Thus, liminality in the trilogy serves as a fundamental structural and thematic element, linking various levels of the narrative and adding depth to Tolkien' s literary world. © 2024, Centro Universitario Curitiba - UNICURITIBA. All rights reserved.