Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Publication
Articles 1 - 7 of 7
Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Language And The Lord Of The Rings: The Expansion Of A Universe, Thomas Beutz
Language And The Lord Of The Rings: The Expansion Of A Universe, Thomas Beutz
The Criterion
Tommy Beutz’s essay, “Language and The Lord of the Rings: The Expansion of a Universe” explores J.R.R. Tolkien’s world-building through the lens of linguistics. Beutz argues that Tolkien’s creation of Middle-Earth, anchored in his invented languages, extends beyond the bounds of the text. Drawing on Tolkien’s background as a philologist, Beutz contends that the languages of Middle-Earth are not mere literary devices but rather the foundation of its entire mythology. By examining linguistic markers embedded in the primary text, Beutz reveals how Tolkien hints at a larger world outside the narrative. Through an analysis of historical accounts and characters’ …
An Industrious Little Devil - Tolkien’S Development Of The Elvish Languages At Leeds, Andrew Higgins Dr
An Industrious Little Devil - Tolkien’S Development Of The Elvish Languages At Leeds, Andrew Higgins Dr
Journal of Tolkien Research
Conference paper given at Medieval Conferences in Leeds and Kalamazoo which explore Tolkien’s development of the Elvish languages at Leeds (1920-1925).
Epistolary Glossopoesis Tolkien’S Letter Writing And Language Invention, Andrew Higgins
Epistolary Glossopoesis Tolkien’S Letter Writing And Language Invention, Andrew Higgins
Journal of Tolkien Research
This paper was given when I was the Guest Speaker at The Annual Meeting of the UK Tolkien Society on 13 April 2024.
Sauron: Weirdly Sexy, Robert T. Tally Jr.
Sauron: Weirdly Sexy, Robert T. Tally Jr.
Journal of Tolkien Research
A popular meme depict Galadriel and Frodo admitting that Sauron is "weirdly sexy," a humorous allusion to The Rings of Power’s Halbrand. The show's controversial revelation of Halbrand as Sauron highlights the differences between Tolkien’s construction of Second and Third Age Sauron as an attractive or admirable leader compared to Peter Jackson’s portrayal of him as a monster or disembodied fiery eyeball. This, in turn, has implications for the geopolitical order of Middle-earth in which many people legitimately might wish to be on Sauron’s side. Acknowledging Sauron's "sexiness" may allow us to see Tolkien's world system in a new …
The Holy Thorn Of Glastonbury And The Two Trees Of Valinor, Giovanni Carmine Costabile
The Holy Thorn Of Glastonbury And The Two Trees Of Valinor, Giovanni Carmine Costabile
Journal of Tolkien Research
An old wooden church in Glastonbury rose on the site of the Abbey church taking its place after a fire burnt it. This old church is traditionally considered to have been the eldest church in England, founded by Joseph of Arimathea after landing upon the British shore. Such a legend, probably spread after the Norman Conquests by the Abbey monks who needed to fund the monastery, also relates that Joseph planted his staff upon the highest hill in Glastonbury, and the staff grew branches and roots, transforming into a wonderful thorn tree which, unlike common thorns, bloomed twice a year, …
The Ring Cycle: Journeying Through The Language Of Tolkien’S Third Age With Corpus Linguistics, Michael Livesey
The Ring Cycle: Journeying Through The Language Of Tolkien’S Third Age With Corpus Linguistics, Michael Livesey
Journal of Tolkien Research
This article explores the journey taken by the One Ring across J.R.R. Tolkien’s Third Age writings. It employs a digital humanities approach to analyse linguistic patterns in Tolkien’s use of the word ring, across The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Specifically, the article employs corpus linguistic methods to track shifts in the quantities and qualities of the Ring’s appearance across these texts. It uses techniques of keyness and collocation analysis to trace transformations in these quantities/qualities, including: a) the Ring’s transition from a central to a peripheral place in the Third Age’s narrative arc; and b) …
What Does It Mean To Talk About Tolkien And Diversity? A Look Within And Without The Legendarium, Yvette Kisor
What Does It Mean To Talk About Tolkien And Diversity? A Look Within And Without The Legendarium, Yvette Kisor
Journal of Tolkien Research
“What Does It Mean to Talk about Tolkien and Diversity? A Look within and without the Legendarium” considers racial diversity by focusing on the structure of Tolkien’s universe, both how it is modelled on ancient and medieval concepts like the Great Chain of Being and the Declining Ages of Man, but also remakes those models. In addition, it considers responses to racial structures perceived in Tolkien’s work.