Tolkien Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

‘Éowyn, Aragorn and the Hidden Dangers of Drink.’ In Inklings 17, Jahrbuch für Literatur und Ästhetik. Moers: Brendow, 217-225. Summary: My paper discusses Tolkien’s depiction of the ‘wassail’ scene(s) in The Lord of the Rings, its... more

‘Éowyn, Aragorn and the Hidden Dangers of Drink.’ In Inklings 17, Jahrbuch für Literatur und Ästhetik. Moers: Brendow, 217-225.
Summary: My paper discusses Tolkien’s depiction of the ‘wassail’ scene(s) in The Lord of the Rings, its parallels and analogues in Beowulf and other medieval texts, and the possible implications for an interpretation of the relationship between Éowyn and Aragorn. I argue that the existence of those parallels and analogues in medieval texts constitutes an instance of ‘covert depth’ in Tolkien’s work. This dimension of ‘covert depth’ goes beyond the established limits of Shippey’s ‘depth’ since it can only be appreciated if the reader is acquainted with the relevant parallel passages.

Resenha crítica do livro de "J.R.R. Tolkien e C.S. Lewis: O dom da amizade", de Colin Duriez

Niniejsza praca ma na celu przedstawienie teorii mitotwórczej J. R. R. Tolkiena, z perspektywy jej wymiaru duchowego. Od czasów antycznych teorie, tudzież filozofie, opierały się na myśleniu abstrakcyjnym i miały za zadanie wyjaśnienie... more

Niniejsza praca ma na celu przedstawienie teorii mitotwórczej J. R. R. Tolkiena, z perspektywy jej wymiaru duchowego. Od czasów antycznych teorie, tudzież filozofie, opierały się na myśleniu abstrakcyjnym i miały za zadanie wyjaśnienie ówczesnemu człowiekowi otaczającej go rzeczywistości. Nie inaczej było z Tolkienowską teorią, na potrzebę której ukuł swój termin Mitopoeia. „Duchowy wymiar Tolkienowskiej Teorii Mitotwórczej” – tłumacząc tytuł tej pracy na język Polski – przekłada się na wiele sfer życia Tolkiena. Pierwsza z tych płaszczyzn, to przypisywany mu przez niektórych krytyków program filozoficzny. Na tym wymiarze skupia się pierwszy rozdział tej pracy: „The Philosophical Disenchantment.” Jednak jak sugeruje tytuł, stanowi on zaledwie tło wszelkich dalszych poszukiwań, gdyż oferuje badaczom Tolkienowskiej myśli jedynie jej racjonalizację i demitologizację. Życiowa pasja Tolkiena, filologia komparatywna, daje wystarczające zrozumienie jego fenomenu, a przynajmniej zdaniem kilku krytyków. Niezaprzeczalnie stanowiła ona inspirację, a zarazem była narzędziem, którego Tolkien użył podług swej ogromnej wiedzy z zakresu językoznawstwa. Pomimo, iż w tej pracy „Comparative Philology” jest omawiana w drugiej kolejności, to właśnie ta dyscyplina była źródłem znajomości filozofii u Tolkiena. Podążając krokami Tolkieniany nie można jednak na tym poprzestać. Trzeci wymiar, jakże metafizyczny i filozoficzny w swych założeniach i implikacjach to odkrycie Owena Barfielda, znajomego Tolkiena. Barfield odkrył Teorię „Jedności Semantycznej,” co Tolkienowi przyszło łatwo przyjąć do wiadomości: język jako narzędzie może również być transcendentny, ze względu na swe początki. Dla Tolkiena była to jedna z tych rzeczy, która pozwoliła mu uwierzyć w smoki. „Philological Philosophy: Let There Be Dragons” – jest zatem łącznikiem między dwoma światami. Jednakże Tolkien nie był byle fantastą, oderwanym od ziemi. Teoria Barfielda, obudziła w nim nadzieję. Pomimo to, tak jak każdy rozsądny i racjonalny człowiek Tolkien musiał dowiedzieć się, „czy to prawda.” Potrzebował czegoś, aby idee odnieść do nie tyle rzeczywistego doświadczenia, ile prawdy. Prawda, bowiem wyzwala. Mimo nieustannego negowania jego wiary, to właśnie ona umożliwiła mu dalsze rozważanie tych teorii. I nie da się inaczej wytłumaczyć jego mitotwórstwa, jak przez uznanie jego wiary. Miłości do Boga, która była tak głęboka, że aż sięgała wiedzy teologicznej. Tego, między innymi, tyczy ostatni rozdział tej pracy: „Myth Becomes Truth.”
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Innovations are produced by entrepreneurs’ imaginations. To turn imagined ideas into realized innovations, entrepreneurs must attract the resources necessary to create the innovations they envision. Resource acquisition involves crafting... more

Innovations are produced by entrepreneurs’ imaginations. To turn imagined ideas into realized innovations, entrepreneurs must attract the resources necessary to create the innovations they envision. Resource acquisition involves crafting and communicating compelling narratives that persuade stakeholders to provide resources. However, there is not a clearly articulated theory linking entrepreneurial imagination, narratives, and the production of innovations. To construct such a theory, this paper extends work on narratives in literary theory and, specifically, Tolkien’s theory of narrative fantasy. It is proposed that entrepreneurs’ narratives about innovations are, initially, “fantasies” because they describe possible worlds in which the imagined innovations exist. As fantasies, the characteristics of persuasive fantasy narratives, such as the degree to which the narratives achieve an inner consistency of reality and suspend audiences’ disbelief, influence entrepreneurs’ ability to convince stakeholders about the viability of imagined innovations. The proposed theory contributes to entrepreneurship scholarship by developing a process model that articulates how entrepreneurs’ imaginations manifest in their narratives, which, in turn, influence the realization of innovations. The theory generates concrete implications for entrepreneurs and suggests that as the novelty of an imagined innovation increases, it becomes more critical for entrepreneurs to construct compelling narratives to describe the innovation. Thus, entrepreneurs and scholars should be attentive to the role narratives play in moving beyond the idea phase of entrepreneurship and bridging imagination and innovation.

In fantasy literature, the setting is as important to the story as are character and plot. This article demonstrates how topofocal (place-focused) perspectives yield valuable insights into various fantasy texts. The examples include... more

In fantasy literature, the setting is as important to the story as are character and plot. This article demonstrates how topofocal (place-focused) perspectives yield valuable insights into various fantasy texts. The examples include discussions on how the nature/culture relationship is tied to the ideological centre in Charles de Lint’s Newford stories; how a careful examination of Sauron’s land in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings reveals how the text views the nature of evil; and how the structure of the land develops along with the stories in the Mythago Wood novels by Robert Holdstock. In a genre where there are no limits to the shape a setting can take, the central question must be: Why is it shaped the way it is?

Warum moderne Märchen? Gegen die Wunder der Technik berufen sie das Wunderbare, das nicht machbar ist, gegen die Beschleunigung der modernen Welt berufen sie die Einheit von Kindheit und Alter, gegen ihre Zahlenhaftigkeit die ziellose... more

Warum moderne Märchen? Gegen die Wunder der Technik berufen sie das Wunderbare, das nicht machbar ist, gegen die Beschleunigung der modernen Welt berufen sie die Einheit von Kindheit und Alter, gegen ihre Zahlenhaftigkeit die ziellose Sehnsucht, gegen die absolute Trennung von Gut und Böse die Verwandlung der beiden ineinander. Sie lehren, nicht die Augen zu verschließen vor der Unmenschlichkeit der Machbarkeits-Welt wie auch vor dem Gemeinen, das guten Gewissens weitergründelt wie eh und je, während oben die Wogen der Veränderung schlagen, beides aber mit einem Lächeln zu betrachten, das sich einig zu müssen weiß mit der Vergänglichkeit. „Wucherpfennigs Märchen sind satirische Arabesken aus Wehmut und Ironie.“ (Fr. Schlegel)

One hyperbolic way of reading Aristotle's Poetics is as sifting out all other forms of art and writing from a discussion which aims to understand tragedy (and then comedy which is the lost book). At the other extreme, and more plausible,... more

One hyperbolic way of reading Aristotle's Poetics is as sifting out all other forms of art and writing from a discussion which aims to understand tragedy (and then comedy which is the lost book). At the other extreme, and more plausible, is to read Poetics as a complete aesthetic theory in nuce; the nut in the shell being the dramatic arts of tragedy and comedy. The nut synecdochically includes and opens up to the entire tree of not only literary, but all mimetic arts, for the means of all the arts are included in tragedy, as are their (often less inclusive) objects. That Aristotle's text can be read in both directions--analytic separation and synecdochic synthesis--is probably a good indication that he is doing both things.
J.R.R. Tolkien's essay 'On Fairy-Stories' seems to be playing a similar double game. A first reading might lead one along the path of sorting fairy stories from all other forms of literature, as well as art; the singular distinctiveness of fairy stories kath auto is the realm to which it tends. This seems to be the manner of most Tolkienists. A second reading might tempt one to see how Faërie is being used as synecdochic nut for not only the tree of story--or all literature--but for all kinds of artistic making, so, an entire aesthetics is its tendence. How do these "aesthetics" with distinct centers agree, and not?

The image of an enchanted forest is prominent in many tales. It’s no wonder that a lot of literary characters have to encounter such a place in their travels. Dark mysterious woods are home of magic and the unknown. To enter a forest is... more

The image of an enchanted forest is prominent in many tales. It’s no wonder that a lot of literary characters have to encounter such a place in their travels. Dark mysterious woods are home of magic and the unknown. To enter a forest is to go into the realm of Faerie, which can be as dangerous as it can be enlightening.

Dragons have always been present in the imaginary of mankind, since ancient myths about the creation of the world. The figure of the dragon is rooted in every culture, be it the evil serpent symbol of the devil typical of Western,... more

Dragons have always been present in the imaginary of mankind, since ancient myths about the creation of the world. The figure of the dragon is rooted in every culture, be it the evil serpent symbol of the devil typical of Western, Christian culture, or the benevolent creature that is bringer of rain in the Eastern tradition. Perhaps because of their importance in all the cultures of the world, dragons have also played a consequential role in fantasy literature, and indeed since J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (1937), this creature has been a recurrent character in many works of the genre.
In this dissertation, the role of the dragon will be analyzed, especially in postwar fantasy fiction. More specifically, it will be shown how this mythical creature passed from being considered no more than a beast to be slain to a real icon of this literary genre. If in the ancient Western narratives, indeed, the dragon was regarded as a representation of chaos to be annihilated by a god or hero in order to restore a social balance previously subverted (Lionarons 1998), nowadays it is not necessarily seen as an enemy, but also as an advisor, an ally or even an inseparable companion for the main character of a novel.
We will focus mainly on some literary works that can serve as examples of such a transition, but we shall start by briefly analyzing the literary dragons in Beowulf and The Saga of the Volsungs, for they contributed enormously in shaping Tolkien’s Smaug: a dragon that, in turn, would have a great influence on all subsequent fantasies. Then we shall examine the role of dragons in Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea sequence (1968-2001), noting how in her later novels they become protectors of order and no more agents of chaos. We will continue by examining the bond between dragons and their riders in Anne McCaffrey’s The Dragonriders of Pern series (1967-2012), the dragons depicted in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series (1983-2015) – seen as imaginary beasts that can acquire shape and substance only if we truly believe in them – and finally their role in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire (1996 ff.).
During our survey, we will compare the role of dragons to that of other fantasy creatures who underwent a similar evolution in the same period, such as the werewolf and the vampire, and we shall notice how all these literary monsters are nothing but different projections of our selves (Du Coudray 2006, Browning and Picart 2009). In conclusion, we shall see how in contemporary fantasy dragons can play at least five different roles: ‘the evil enemy to be slain or subjugated’; ‘the wise warden of order’; ‘the shapeshifter’; ‘the inseparable ally and life-long friend’; and finally ‘the wild but tameable beast’.
We shall focus mainly on literary works, but we will also make some references to other media, such as the main representations of dragon in cinema and role-playing games (RPGs).

Tolkien is not always given due credit for his deep familiarity with Arthurian romances. Yet, in the 1920s, he co-edited and translated the Middle English romantic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Tolkien and Gordon 1925). Around... more

Tolkien is not always given due credit for his deep familiarity with Arthurian romances. Yet, in the 1920s, he co-edited and translated the Middle English romantic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Tolkien and Gordon 1925). Around 1930, he tried his own hand at romantic poetry in the incomplete and only recently-published The Fall of Arthur (2013). And of course he taught the genre for many years at Oxford. More than this, however, Tolkien’s epic romance The Lord of the Rings is replete with Arthurian allusions, including (as Veryln Flieger has noted), ‘the withdrawal of a sword, a tutelary wizard, the emergence of a hidden king, [and] a ship departure to a myth-enshrined destination’. Such allusions make it clear that—even as he sought to supplant what he saw as the imperfectly- naturalized myth of Arthur with his own evolving ‘body of more or less connected legend’ dedicated ‘to England’— Tolkien’s great novel also carried on a deft dialogue between modern and premodern views of friendship, love, and romance. Thus, in the sad tale of the Ents and Entwives, Tolkien explored the tragedy of lost love: the ‘old trouble’ of ‘hearts [that] did not go on growing in the same way’. The rich medieval theme of frustrated love comes into his epic in the form of the ‘love triangle’ between Aragorn, Arwen, and Éowyn. Love in the form of mutual respect and sympathy are the focus of several key turning points in the narrative, as we see in the love between Frodo and Sam, Gimli and Galadriel, and Aragorn and Éomer. And the theme of love’s perversion, of ironic, cynical, and sarcastic references to love and to the birth of hate, emerge in several scenes where ‘love’ appears in the mouths of the orcs, and of Gollum. Throughout, Tolkien’s keen philological ear is much in evidence, not only in his careful usage of ‘love’ and its many derivations and inflections—e.g., loved, beloved, lovely, loveliness, lover, etc.— but also in his deliberate development of several nuanced Elvish roots for ‘love’, such as ban-, mel-, and -(n)dil.

Książka "Allotopie. Topografia światów fikcjonalnych" powstała z bardzo przyziemnej potrzeby: stworzenia swego rodzaju kompendium zbierającego teorie fikcji i narracji przydatne w analizowaniu literatury fantastycznej i światotwórczej. W... more

Książka "Allotopie. Topografia światów fikcjonalnych" powstała z bardzo przyziemnej potrzeby: stworzenia swego rodzaju kompendium zbierającego teorie fikcji i narracji przydatne w analizowaniu literatury fantastycznej i światotwórczej. W odróżnieniu jednak od większości typowych monografii fantasy i SF tutaj głównym celem stała się próba zrozumienia fenomenu tytułowej allotopii – czyli takiego osobliwego świata, który mimo całej swej fantastyczności dąży do ukazywania się czytelnikowi jako wręcz bardziej realny aniżeli świat rzeczywisty. Z tej jednakowoż racji, że allotopia jest raczej rodzajem fikcyjnego świata niż gatunkiem czy nawet konwencją, przywoływane w książce powieści i cykle powieściowe – m.in. Płasklandia Edwina Abbotta Abbotta, Silmarillion J.R.R. Tolkiena, Peanatema Neala Stephensona czy Inne pieśni Jacka Dukaja – ukazują konieczność interdyscyplinarnego otwarcia badań literaturoznawczych, którym przychodzi nieraz kapitulować przed złożonością obecnych w nich konstrukcji narracyjnych. Opisywany tu szczególny przypadek fantastyki światotwórczej ma w konsekwencji niewiele wspólnego z typowym zabiegiem fantastyki, porywającym czytelnika z przydomowego ogródka do „nibylandii” i dziedziny ułudy – za to o wiele więcej ze świadomym zamieszkaniem w „nigdylandii”, i to w dodatku z wszelkimi konsekwencjami wydziedziczenia z wszystkiego tego, co naturalne, prawdziwe, faktycz¬ne, swojskie i znajome. Allotopii w odróżnieniu od klasycznej fantastyki nie wystarcza zatem proste przeciwstawienie świata zwyczajnego światu niezwyczajnemu dla prostego wydobycia dzielącej je cechy niezwyczajności. Bo choć z pewnością jest wówczas łatwiej odróżnić to, co faktyczne, od tego, co fantastyczne, to nieporównanie już trudniej doświadczyć tego, bez czego allotopia nie miałaby racji bytu – a zatem imersywnego zanurzenia w realia takiego świata, z którym można się do tego stopnia związać, by chcieć doń powracać i móc za nim tęsknić.

Resumo: Este trabalho é uma investigação sobre a pertinência da imaginação moral como base da cosmovisão literária de J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973). Essa perspectiva é fundamentada na reflexão sobre as virtudes clássicas e a lei moral,... more

Resumo: Este trabalho é uma investigação sobre a pertinência da imaginação moral como base da cosmovisão literária de J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973). Essa perspectiva é fundamentada na reflexão sobre as virtudes clássicas e a lei moral, conforme percebida pela Cristandade medieval e expressa até hoje pela Igreja Católica Romana. O termo imaginação moral foi cunhado por Edmund Burke (1729-1797) e desenvolvido por Russel Kirk (1918-1994). Ambos os autores são considerados expoentes do pensamento político conservador anglo-saxônico, que critica fundamentalmente a utopia revolucionária iluminista e racionalista que se manifesta com toda força na revolução francesa no século XVIII, atravessa todo movimento socialista no século XIX e se torna triunfante nas revoluções comunistas do século XX. O objetivo do trabalho é compreender como a base para esta cosmovisão conservadora indica uma proposta pedagógica na qual é preciso cultivar imagens e propiciar a absorção pessoal e criativa de experiências literárias, que tratam do desenvolvimento das possibilidades e potências da natureza humana, assim como de que forma esta proposta pedagógica da imaginação moral é apresentada na obra literária de J.R.R Tolkien. Somente após esta experiência estética e imaginária, conforme Aristóteles (384 a.C.-322 a.C.), é possível então exigir um maior esforço racional em direção a ética e à política. Essa definição de imaginação moral se coaduna com as reflexões do filósofo Alasdair Macintyre (1929), que busca unir a filosofia moral que trata da formação das virtudes com as investigações da perspectiva narrativa e histórica da experiência humana. O método do trabalho é de revisão bibliográfica dos autores citados, sendo que os resultados obtidos demonstram que esta conjunção de virtudes e narrativa tem como representante no século XX o escritor J.R.R. Tolkien, que com sua obra conseguiu resgatar uma proposta de educação com base na imaginação moral e as possibilidades e potências da natureza humana, fazendo sucesso entre crianças, jovens e adultos da data de lançamento de seu primeiro livro (O Hobbit, em 1937) até hoje. As referências à Lei Moral, conforme propostas por Tomás de Aquino (1225-1274), estão presentes na obra de Tolkien em diversos momentos, sendo um exemplo central da defesa das coisas permanentes que, conforme explica Kirk, é um traço essencial de uma educação fundada na imaginação moral.

“Holy Monsters, Sacred Grotesques” aims to create conversations on the impact of monstrosity and examples of the grotesque in discourse related to religion and the sacred. The tendency to populate religious landscapes with non-human... more

“Holy Monsters, Sacred Grotesques” aims to create conversations on the impact of monstrosity and examples of the grotesque in discourse related to religion and the sacred. The tendency to populate religious landscapes with non-human entities, literally demonize opponents, perceive monsters as existing in far-reaching geographical borders (e.g., “the East” in Medieval Europe), and decorate sacred sites with grotesques is a trait shared throughout innumerable traditions. Recently the term "monster studies" was coined to cover the recent works dedicated to monsters by such authors as John Block Friedman, Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, and Asa Mittman, who have helped to provide a framework for the study of such phenomena, not only in religious studies but also in literature, art history, and history. Through this framework, monsters and grotesques have been revealed as important markers of marginality, social boundaries, liminality, identity, cultural borders, and the “Other.”

This paper owes its central theme to Tolkien’s statement that “a primary ‘fact’ about my work [is] that it is all ... fundamentally linguistic in inspiration. ... The ‘stories’ were made rather to provide a world for the languages than... more

This paper owes its central theme to Tolkien’s statement that “a primary ‘fact’ about my work [is] that it is all ... fundamentally linguistic in inspiration. ... The ‘stories’ were made rather to provide a world for the languages than the reverse” and that “there is a great deal of linguistic matter (other than actually ‘elvish’ names and words) included or mythologically expressed in the book” (Letters 165). Scholarly reactions to these claims have been varied, with some taking them as indicating a general lack of seriousness in Tolkien’s work (Wilson 1956) and others preferring instead to explain them away (Isaacs 1968; Reilly 1968). More recent studies instead demonstrate how deeply Tolkien’s philology has influenced his fiction at all points (Flieger 1983, Ryan 1991, Shippey 1982). This paper builds on these studies by noting Tolkien’s interest in the Proto-Indo-European terms for ‘dawn,’ ‘east,’ and ‘star’, and their influence on his scholarly interpretation and fictional adaptation of the Old English theonym Éarendel. Tolkien’s etymological, esthetic, and mythopoeic considerations of this figure are found to be intertwined in complex and intriguing ways, shedding significant light on the origins of the Eldarin root √EL and its development into distinct terms for ‘behold!,’ ‘star,’ ‘elf,’ and ‘journey(er)’. Further, it will be shown that these philological considerations not only motivate the appearance of stars in The Lord of the Rings, but also emerge explicitly in dialogue, poetry, and song, and, not least, as important structural and compositional elements in several key scenes, such as the ‘chance meeting’ with Gildor near Woodhall, Sam’s vision of a ‘star of hope’ above the Ephel Dúath, and several characters’ inspired, glossolalic invocations of Elbereth in times of dire need.

This article analyses the process of individuating, as exposed by Marie Loui-se von Franz, in The Man and His Symbols, analytical psychology collection of texts, and by Carl Jung in The Archetypes and Collective Unconscious, through the... more

This article analyses the process of individuating, as exposed by Marie Loui-se von Franz, in The Man and His Symbols, analytical psychology collection of texts, and by Carl Jung in The Archetypes and Collective Unconscious, through the development of Gandalf, the wizard who role The Lord of The Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien. By the junguian categories of Psyche Growth, Unconscious, Shadow and Self, we understand de Gandalf´s passage from The Grey to The White, stands his individuation.

... 'I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor' (I.344), Gandalf shouts, blocking the path of the Balrog over the bridge of Khazad-dûm. ... He wanders with Lúthien, as Adam did with Eve,... more

... 'I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor' (I.344), Gandalf shouts, blocking the path of the Balrog over the bridge of Khazad-dûm. ... He wanders with Lúthien, as Adam did with Eve, having reached a paradisal reconciliation and restoration. ...

This article deals with the symbolism of the One Ring, basic point in The Lord of the Rings, by J. R.R. Tolkien. From the dialogue with Saint Augustine, through the categories of iniancy and free-will, and Paul Ricoeur, through the... more

This article deals with the symbolism of the One Ring, basic point in The Lord of the Rings, by J. R.R. Tolkien. From the dialogue with Saint Augustine, through the categories of iniancy and free-will, and Paul Ricoeur, through the categories of myth and symbol, the One Ring is understood as lust for power over men, lands, and knowledge. In this sense, Tolkien´s historical reality and his Augustinian view favor an analysis of the symbol's three functions, proposed by Ricoeur: the cosmic, oneiric, and poetic functions.

First presented at the 37th Annual Mythopoeic Conference at the University of Oklahoma in 2006; published in English in Middle-earth and Beyond: Essays on the World of J.R.R. Tolkien (Ed. Kathleen Dubs and Janka Kaščáková, Cambridge... more

First presented at the 37th Annual Mythopoeic Conference at the University of Oklahoma in 2006; published in English in Middle-earth and Beyond: Essays on the World of J.R.R. Tolkien (Ed. Kathleen Dubs and Janka Kaščáková, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2011) and in French in Tolkien, le façonnement d’un monde, Volume 2: Astronomie et Géographie (Ed. Didier Willis. Le Dragon de Brume, 2014).

Tolkien valued music in his private life, and this is mirrored in his works about Middle-Earth, which owes its very existence to music. It is born out of the song of the Ainur. But the role of music does not end with this creative act,... more

Tolkien valued music in his private life, and this is mirrored in his works about Middle-Earth,
which owes its very existence to music. It is born out of the song of the Ainur. But the role of
music does not end with this creative act, rather, it continues to influence the history of
Middle-Earth. The paper aims to analyze the role of music in the tale of Beren and Lúthien in
the published Silmarillion. The tale of Beren and Lúthien was of personal significance to
Tolkien himself. It also includes numerous allusions to music. It is the language of love for
both Beren and Lúthien, who make their own songs. Lúthien’s music has power which allows
her to overcome Sauron and Morgoth and to win a second life for Beren from Mandos, while
Finrod uses music in his duel with Sauron. Music affects both positive and negative characters,
including Sauron and Morgoth. Its importance is also emphasized by the existence of
professional musicians, such as Daeron, Thingol's minstrel. The story „Of Beren and Lúthien”
demonstrates the power of music, which has a huge impact on the entire history of Middle-Earth. Without it, many events would never have happened.

The dramatic confrontation which ensues on the bridge of Khazad-dûm between Gandalf and the just-awakened Balrog not only constitutes one of the turning points in the War of the Ring, but it also provides a glimpse of what Tolkien may... more

The dramatic confrontation which ensues on the bridge of Khazad-dûm between Gandalf and the just-awakened Balrog not only constitutes one of the turning points in the War of the Ring, but it also provides a glimpse of what Tolkien may have envisioned as a Christian reinterpretation of the traditional model of Germanic heroism. The two notions are, of course, at a clearly detectable ethical variance, the former being fundamentally defined by the self-sacrificial dedication to the cause, the latter by the self-centred pursuit of transient glory. Seen in the light of medieval literature, the bridge episode might also be read as a conceptual reimagining of the roughly analogous situation in the Old English poem The Battle of Maldon, where the far-too-confident ealdorman Byrhtnoth allows the enemy safe passage across the ford, thus placing himself and his people at a considerable strategic disadvantage. In The Lord of the Rings, the role of Byrhtnoth is obviously assigned (albeit inversely) to the character of Gandalf whose courageous efforts to protect his companions accentuate the wizard's sense of responsibility, upwards (the cause) as well as downwards (his companions).

This chapter argues that the publication of The Hobbit, prior to the publication of any other works in the Legendarium, created a series of continuity challenges for Tolkien regarding the spiritual state of his non-human characters. The... more

This chapter argues that the publication of The Hobbit, prior to the publication of any other works in the Legendarium, created a series of continuity challenges for Tolkien regarding the spiritual state of his non-human characters. The Cockney trolls, boulder-tossing giants, social goblins, and anthropomorphized beasts found within The Hobbit all run contrary to Tolkien’s later ideals of how Ilúvatar structured the lives and moralities of the races of Middle-earth. Unlike the more bestial trolls and orcs of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit incorporates a “civilized” race of goblins, replete with an apparently independent king, a developed culture, and autonomous self-awareness. Similarly, a fairly diverse cast of talking animal characters lends The Hobbit an almost Narnian feel, a tone very distinct from the rest of Tolkien’s works (Tolkien, Letters 42). The Lord of the Eagles wears an incongruous golden crown, and the spiders of Mirkwood banter humorously and are offended by bad poetry, all in sharp contrast to the eagles and spiders of LOTR and The Silmarillion. The chapter asserts that these contrasts caused Tolkien considerable trouble in the years after The Hobbit was published. Tolkien’s three races of sentient, created beings (Elves, Men, and Dwarves) each have their own cosmology and eschatology, designed by Tolkien as distinct threads in the fabric of Arda. Talking animals and civilized orcs simply did not fit Tolkien’s theological hierarchy, and, as a result, Tolkien struggled mightily to harmonize creatures of The Hobbit with the rest of the Legendarium. The chapter will conclude that these theological difficulties lead directly to some of Tolkien’s most popular and fascinating origin tales, such the explanation offered in The Silmarillion that orcs were initially elves captured and twisted by Morgoth or that the Great Eagles might actually be immortal maiar in disguise (Sil 50). It will be seen that Tolkien’s late concern for absolute continuity and theological correctness caused these harmless, apparently throwaway components of The Hobbit to contribute to the rich cosmological textures of the greater Legendarium.

Stereotypes and archetypes are easily recognisable in fantasy fiction; ‘The Guąrdian Chronicles’ is an original, stereotypical opening to a fantasy fiction novel, and ‘Snake Charmer’ is a contemporary version of the same opening. A... more

Stereotypes and archetypes are easily recognisable in fantasy fiction; ‘The Guąrdian Chronicles’ is an original, stereotypical opening to a fantasy fiction novel, and ‘Snake Charmer’ is a contemporary version of the same opening. A critical commentary is provided throughout both openings, remarking on how, and to what effect, fantasy stereotypes, archetypes and tropes have been utilised and altered. It also reflects on the use of those devices within the wider fantasy genre, highlighting pitfalls and notable exceptions found within the canon. The reflective critical understanding explores the working definition and purpose of the genre, and its most critical element of all: maps. It draws conclusions about archetypes as the main components of the fantasy genre, stereotypes as the result of lazy thinking, and the varying uses of fantasy fiction as a critical, allegorical tool.

Premio Aelfwine de ensayo de la STE 2015 A pesar de lo expresado por numerosos estudiosos de corte feminista, un estudio pormenorizado de los personajes femeninos y masculinos de la obra de Tolkien, pone de manifiesto la total ausencia de... more

Premio Aelfwine de ensayo de la STE 2015
A pesar de lo expresado por numerosos estudiosos de corte feminista, un estudio pormenorizado de los personajes femeninos y masculinos de la obra de Tolkien, pone de manifiesto la total ausencia de prejuicios de este tipo en la obra del autor inglés.

Resumo: Este artigo trata da tradução e do estudo realizados por J.R.R. Tolkien do poema Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. O poema é datado entre os séculos XIV e XV e narra aventuras do cavaleiro da Távola Redonda diante do desafio do... more

Resumo: Este artigo trata da tradução e do estudo realizados por J.R.R. Tolkien do poema Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. O poema é datado entre os séculos XIV e XV e narra aventuras do cavaleiro da Távola Redonda diante do desafio do cavaleiro verde, dos jogos da corte e das trapaças da magia. Segundo Tolkien, é possível encontrar uma discussão sobre a lei moral, de fundamento cristão patrístico e escolástico, diante dos desafios do paganismo e da cultura cor-tesã. Investigando os símbolos e cenas descritas no poema, Tolkien elabora uma interpretação que o leva a concluir pela existência de uma reflexão filosófica e religiosa que se estabelece com imagens e atos que refutam as tentações que desviam o desenvolvimento do herói e do cavaleiro para uma via de santidade. São fundamentos desse estudo: a devoção mariana, a confiança nos sacramentos do matrimônio e da confissão e o reconhecimento da falibilidade humana e a consequente força da graça divina. Abstract: This article deals with the translation and the study performed by JRR Tolkien on the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The poem is dated between the fourteenth and fif-teenth centuries and narrates the adventures of the knight of the Round Table on the challenge of the Green Knight, court games and magic tricks. According to Tolkien, it is possible to find a discussion of Christian moral, based on patristic and scholastic philosophy, facing the challenges of paganism and the courtesan culture. Investigating the symbols and scenes depicted in the poem, Tolkien elaborates an interpretation which concludes that there is a philosophical and religious reflection that is established with images and acts that refute the temptations that challenges the development of the hero and the knight to a path of holiness. Marian devotion , trust in the sacraments of marriage and confession and recognition of human fallibility and the consequent strength of divine grace are foundations of this study.

In the more hidden corners of the Internet, such as on fanfiction forums and mailing lists, it is easy to come across extremely right-wing comments. As can be seen from the two examples with which I began this essay, this commentary... more

In the more hidden corners of the Internet, such as on fanfiction forums and mailing lists, it is easy to come across extremely right-wing comments. As can be seen from the two examples with which I began this essay, this commentary manifests itself on several layers. The alt-right commentators I have encountered believe in racial theory, that there is a hierarchy between these races and that you should not mix them. They openly dream of their ideal times (an imaginary past) and places (Utopia) with only white people. To translate this imaginary past into concrete identity markers in their present context, they resort to, among other things, (neo-)medieval symbolism. This has far-reaching consequences, among others for scholarship in the fields of the (neo)medieval and Tolkien.