<p>J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is one of the most popular works of fiction of the twentieth century and beyond. It has been sold over 100 million times in different countries around the world and has been translated into more than 30 languages. One of the factors responsible for its popularity is the feeling that the story is more than just fantasy. Peri Sipahi tries to get a grip on the topics and references 'simmering beneath the s...