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— CH. 1 · ORIGINS AND AUTHORS —

Bored of the Rings

~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
6 sections

  • Henry Beard and Douglas Kenney sat at a table in Cambridge, Massachusetts, during the late 1960s. They were students at Harvard University writing for The Harvard Lampoon magazine. Their collaboration produced Bored of the Rings, published by Signet in 1969. This book became unusual because it stayed in print for over fifty years. Most parodies fade quickly after their initial release. These two men later founded National Lampoon, which would change comedy history. Their work on this parody novel laid the groundwork for that future success. The text mocks J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings chapter by chapter. It follows the original outline while inserting slapstick humor throughout.

  • Moxie and Pepsi replace Merry and Pippin in the story. Tom Bombadil appears as Tim Benzedrine, a stereotypical hippie married to Hashberry. Her name alludes to Haight-Ashbury, a district of San Francisco nicknamed Hashbury for its hippie counterculture at that time. Saruman is satirized as Serutan, a laxative living in a fortress with pastel pink-and-blue walls. A pale-lavender moat crossed by a bright-green drawbridge gives access to an amusement park for tourists. Minas Tirith becomes Minas Troney, designed by Beltelephon the senile. The carbonated beverages Moxie and Pepsi replace Merry and Pippin. The text combines slapstick humor with deliberately inappropriate use of brand names. This approach creates a jarring contrast between high fantasy and consumer culture. Readers encounter these substitutions repeatedly throughout the narrative.

  • Frito Bugger rolls his eyes near the beginning of the story. He observes that it was going to be a long epic. Frito slashes at Schlob's sharp red fingernails with his sword Tweezer. Only managing to chip the enamel, he watches as the ravenous creature closes in. Spam frantically schpritzes insect repellent into Schlob's bottomless gullet. Goodgulf Grayteeth translates writing on the Ring: 'This Ring, no other, is made by the elves.' Shakestoor replies, 'it isn't, said Frito'. Goddam jostles on the edge of the Black Hole, a tar pit. The eagle Gwahno yells at them to fasten their seatbelts. He snaps at them to use barf bags if necessary. The bird complains about running behind schedule. These characters break the fourth wall multiple times during their journey.

  • David Bratman wrote in Mythlore about an extended passage from the book. Frito, Spam Gangree, and Goddam jostle on the edge of the Black Hole. Bratman notes that those parodists wrought better than they knew. Mike Sacks quotes the book's opening lines in his analysis. He explains that the book has been continuously in print for over forty years. It was one of the earliest parodies of a modern popular bestseller. The work inspired many pop culture writers including those who worked on Saturday Night Live. The Onion also drew inspiration from this text. Leah Schnelbach writes that the book is full of interesting comedic thoughts stuffed under all the silliness. She sees it as a cutting satire of shallow consumerism and the good-old-fashioned American road trip.

  • Michael K. Frith designed the Signet first edition cover. His work parodied the 1965 Ballantine paperback covers by Barbara Remington. Current editions feature different artwork by Douglas Carrel. William S. Donnell drew the parody map showing places like The Square Valley Between the Mounts. The Intermittent Mountains appear alongside lands of Fördør and Gönad. The Big Wide River flows through the Legendary Drillingrigs region. The Lümbar region appears near the bottom of the map. These visual elements complement the satirical text inside. The original cover art became obscure after the 1960s. Modern reprints use new designs to appeal to contemporary readers.

  • The book has been translated into at least twelve languages worldwide. Czech readers see Za pár prstenů, meaning For a few rings. Estonian translations read Sõrmuste lisand, which means Addition of the Rings. Finnish versions are titled Loru sorbusten herrasta, translating to A rhyme about the lord of Sorbus. German editions carry the title Der Herr der Augenringe, or Lord of the Eye Rings. Hungarian readers encounter Gyűrűkúra, meaning Ring Course as in rejuvenation course. Russian translations call it Plastilin Kolets, or Plasticine of the Rings. An audio version was produced by Orion Audiobooks in 2013. Rupert Degas narrated this recording for listeners. Delta 4 released Bored of the Rings as a text adventure game in 1985. This game was inspired by the book but not directly based on it.

Common questions

Who wrote Bored of the Rings and when was it published?

Henry Beard and Douglas Kenney wrote Bored of the Rings, which was published by Signet in 1969. The two Harvard University students later founded National Lampoon after creating this parody novel.

What characters replace Merry and Pippin in Bored of the Rings?

Moxie and Pepsi replace Merry and Pippin in the story to satirize consumer culture. These carbonated beverages appear throughout the narrative as slapstick substitutes for the original hobbits.

How long has Bored of the Rings remained in print since its release?

Bored of the Rings has stayed in print for over fifty years following its initial publication on the 2nd of May 1536. Mike Sacks notes that the book has been continuously available for over forty years as one of the earliest parodies of a modern popular bestseller.

Which languages have translations of Bored of the Rings appeared in?

The book has been translated into at least twelve languages worldwide including Czech, Estonian, Finnish, German, Hungarian, and Russian editions. Each translation adapts the title to reflect local humor such as Der Herr der Augenringe for German readers or Za pár prstenů for Czech audiences.

Who designed the first edition cover of Bored of the Rings and what did it parody?

Michael K. Frith designed the Signet first edition cover which parodied the 1965 Ballantine paperback covers by Barbara Remington. Current editions feature different artwork by Douglas Carrel while William S. Donnell drew the parody map showing places like The Square Valley Between the Mounts.

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All sources

36 references cited across the entry

  1. 1webBored of the RingsThe World Wide Walrus
  2. 2webBibliography: Cover: Bored of the Rings
  3. 3encyclopediaParodiesDavid Bratman — Routledge — 2013
  4. 4webAfter Tolkien, get Bored of the RingsDavid Barnett — 8 February 2011
  5. 5bookDemocracy's Children: The Young Rebels of the 1960s and the Power of IdealsEdward K. Spann — Rowman & Littlefield — 2003
  6. 6webHow Bored Can You Get? Americanisms in Bored of the Rings: A Glossary for British ReadersCambridge Tolkien Society
  7. 7journalTop Ten Rejected Plot Twists from 'The Lord of the Rings.: A Textual Excursion into the 'History of "The Lord of the RingsDavid Bratman — 2000
  8. 8bookThe Garden of Priapus: Sexuality and Aggression in Roman HumorAmy Richlin — Oxford University Press — 1992
  9. 9journalLaughter in Middle-earth: Humour in and around the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien (2016) edited by Thomas Honegger and Maureen F. MannJohn Wm Jr. Houghton — 2017
  10. 10bookLaughter in Middle-earth: Humour in and around the Works of J.R.R. TolkienWalking Tree Publishers — 2016
  11. 12webTolkien's Map and The Messed Up Mountains of Middle-earthAlex Acks — Tor.com — 1 August 2017
  12. 13bookPoking a Dead FrogMike Sacks — Penguin Books — 2014
  13. 14webHitting the Road with Bored of the RingsLeah Schnelbach — 7 February 2018
  14. 15inlineFlavinscorner.com Overview of fantasy from the period, including the Ballantine edition of Rings.
  15. 16webBibliography: Cover: Bored of the Rings
  16. 17inlineLOTR Scrapbook Critical review of Ballantine cover art for the three books.
  17. 18inlineBored of the Rings Parody Map, on Internet Archive
  18. 19webBibliography: Bored of the Rings (Map)
  19. 20journalBored out of his skullDecember 1985
  20. 21encyclopediaGamingAnthony Burdge — Routledge — 2013
  21. 22webBored of the RingsLysator (Linköping University)
  22. 23bookBored of the rings: a parodyRupert Degas — Orion Audiobooks — 2013
  23. 24webZa pár prstenů - knihaDatabazeknih.cz
  24. 25bookSõrmuste isandHenry N. Beard et al. — Pegasus — 2002
  25. 26webAltia Annual Report 2019Altia — 2019
  26. 27bookLoru sorbusten herrastaHenry N. Beard et al. — Kustannusosakeyhtiö Nemo — 1983
  27. 28bookLord of the RingardsHenry N. Beard et al. — Bragelonne — 2002
  28. 29bookDschey Ar Tollkühn, der Herr der AugenringeHenry N. Beard et al. — Goldmann — 1983
  29. 30bookGyurukúraHenry N. Beard et al. — Walhalla Páholy — 1991
  30. 31bookIl signore dei tranelliHenry N. Beard et al. — Fanucci — 2002
  31. 32bookRingenes dårskap en parodi på J.R.R. Tolkiens Ringenes herreHenry N. Beard et al. — Damm — 2004
  32. 33bookNuda PierscieniHenry N. Beard et al. — Zysk i S-ka — 2001
  33. 34bookO Fedor dos AnéisHenry N. Beard et al. — Ver Curiosidades — 2004
  34. 35bookHenry N. Beard et al.Симпозиум — 2002
  35. 36bookEl Sopor de los AnillosHenry N. Beard et al. — Devir Iberia — 2001
  36. 37bookHärsken på ringenHenry N. Beard et al. — Alfabeta Bokförlag — 2003