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Full-Text Articles in Literature in English, British Isles
Sam's Song In The Tower: The Significance Of 'Merry Finches' In J.R.R. Tolkien's _Lord Of The Rings_, Jane Beal Phd
Sam's Song In The Tower: The Significance Of 'Merry Finches' In J.R.R. Tolkien's _Lord Of The Rings_, Jane Beal Phd
Journal of Tolkien Research
In The Lord of the Rings, Samwise Gamgee climbs the Tower of Cirith Ungol to try to rescue his master and friend, Frodo Baggins, who has been taken captive by Orcs. When Sam is near despair because he cannot find Frodo, Sam sings a song that makes reference to “merry finches.” What is the significance of this phrase in his lyrics? To answer this question, my essay first explores J.R.R. Tolkien’s ornithological knowledge, especially of finches in England, which is readily demonstrated from a letter he wrote to his son, Christopher Tolkien (July 7, 1944), about his observations of bullfinches …
"Tolkien's Eagles: Aves Ex Machina", Deidre Dawson
"Tolkien's Eagles: Aves Ex Machina", Deidre Dawson
Journal of Tolkien Research
Many studies of Tolkien’s Eagles have emphasized their role as a narrative device (the deus ex machina) or spiritual symbol and have focused primarily on their intervention in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This essay argues for a more comprehensive interpretation, and demonstrates that the Eagles function as essential characters throughout Tolkien’s legendarium, beginning with the earliest stories. The importance of eagles in mythology, folklore and literature is highlighted to show how Tolkien combined his deep knowledge of these subjects with his attention to the biology and anatomy of actual eagles to create his own …