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Articles 1 - 30 of 120

Full-Text Articles in Medieval Studies

From Maldon To Mordor: Hobbits And The Lord-Retainer Relationship In The Lord Of The Rings, Samuel A. Masters Apr 2026

From Maldon To Mordor: Hobbits And The Lord-Retainer Relationship In The Lord Of The Rings, Samuel A. Masters

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Content warning: this paper discusses suicide and suicidal thoughts.

Tolkien’s interest in Old Germanic heroism had a profound impact upon the hobbits of The Lord of the Rings, and the Christianised form of heroism that they represent. In his essays, ‘Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics (1936) and ‘The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son’ (1953), Tolkien praises the loving, paternalistic relationship between a lord and his retainers in Old English poetry; this aspect of medieval heroism is retained in Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin However, Tolkien also highlights several shortcomings of the Old Germanic ‘Northern Courage’. In …


The Significance Of Ioreth, Wise Woman Of Gondor, In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings, Jane Beal Phd Apr 2026

The Significance Of Ioreth, Wise Woman Of Gondor, In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings, Jane Beal Phd

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Using key ideas from the field of Narrative Medicine, this essay considers the significance of Ioreth in her role as a wise-woman (midwife) and healer of Gondor. J.R.R. Tolkien developed the character of Ioreth from the static fairy-tale type of the “Wise Old Woman” to a dynamic minor character in her own right in The Lord of the Rings. He gave her a defining characteristic of talkativeness, and he purposefully attributed to her prophetic utterances of proverb, rhyme, and instruction that positively influenced those around her, including her healthcare colleagues Gandalf, Aragorn, and the herb-master, her unnamed kinswoman from the …


Tolkien On Kennings And The River-(Woman’S) Daughter, Derek Simon Oct 2025

Tolkien On Kennings And The River-(Woman’S) Daughter, Derek Simon

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

THIS IS A TWO-PART ARTICLE. IN ORDER TO READ OR DOWNLOAD THE OTHER PART, FOLLOW THE LINK AT THE END OF THIS ABSTRACT.

While the River-daughter is a prevalent poetic name for Goldberry, Tom introduces her as the River-woman’s daughter when singing and skipping along the banks of the Withywindle. The River-woman variant occurs only once in Goldberry’s narrative but is not easily dismissed. The contrast between the two variant names raises several questions on how to read Goldberry’s enigma. Tolkien’s brief commentaries on the kenning as a poetic device serve as the starting-point for exploring the literary function of …


The Influence Of The Pearl-Maiden On The Imagination Of J. R.R. Tolkien, Jane Beal Aug 2025

The Influence Of The Pearl-Maiden On The Imagination Of J. R.R. Tolkien, Jane Beal

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


I’D Rather (S)He Was Dead: Resurrection & Gender Transition In Superhero Comics, Jonathan Sexton, Eitan Runyan Aug 2025

I’D Rather (S)He Was Dead: Resurrection & Gender Transition In Superhero Comics, Jonathan Sexton, Eitan Runyan

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


From Hildeburh To Héra: Recuperating Women’S Presence In Beowulf, J.R.R. Tolkien’S The Lord Of The Rings, And Kenji Kamiyama’S The War Of The Rohirrim, Christopher Vaccaro Aug 2025

From Hildeburh To Héra: Recuperating Women’S Presence In Beowulf, J.R.R. Tolkien’S The Lord Of The Rings, And Kenji Kamiyama’S The War Of The Rohirrim, Christopher Vaccaro

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


The Tragedy Of Arwen Evenstar In “The Tale Of Aragorn And Arwen” And In Her Legacy On Film, Nicole Duplessis Aug 2025

The Tragedy Of Arwen Evenstar In “The Tale Of Aragorn And Arwen” And In Her Legacy On Film, Nicole Duplessis

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


The Lay(Er)S Of The Corrigan, Lelie Brémont Aug 2025

The Lay(Er)S Of The Corrigan, Lelie Brémont

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


“Mysterium Tremendum Et Fascinans”: Melian’S And Lúthien’S Numinosity, Alexandra Filonenko Aug 2025

“Mysterium Tremendum Et Fascinans”: Melian’S And Lúthien’S Numinosity, Alexandra Filonenko

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Mythopoeic Awards Ceremony, The Mythopoeic Society Aug 2025

Mythopoeic Awards Ceremony, The Mythopoeic Society

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Our Flag Means Gender: Gender “Fuckery” In Our Flag Means Death, Megan Abrahamson, Dusty Brooks, Cassidy Percoco Aug 2025

Our Flag Means Gender: Gender “Fuckery” In Our Flag Means Death, Megan Abrahamson, Dusty Brooks, Cassidy Percoco

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Bolg’S Mother: Orc Women In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Robert T. Tally Jr. Aug 2025

Bolg’S Mother: Orc Women In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Robert T. Tally Jr.

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Grendel's Mother Talks Back: Contemporary Women's Mythopoeic Revisions, Anna Smol Aug 2025

Grendel's Mother Talks Back: Contemporary Women's Mythopoeic Revisions, Anna Smol

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Revisiting Ambiguous Aredhel, Megan Abrahamson Aug 2025

Revisiting Ambiguous Aredhel, Megan Abrahamson

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Sex, The Body, And Learning Gender: Demons In The World Of The Five Gods, Erin Mcbrien Aug 2025

Sex, The Body, And Learning Gender: Demons In The World Of The Five Gods, Erin Mcbrien

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Desirable Lady’ Or ‘She Who Desires’: Examining Aredhel’S Agency In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Lyra Keran Zhang Aug 2025

Desirable Lady’ Or ‘She Who Desires’: Examining Aredhel’S Agency In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Lyra Keran Zhang

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Belief After The Death Of King Arthur: Lev Grossman’S Postsecular Portrayal Of Nimue In The Bright Sword, Liz Busby Aug 2025

Belief After The Death Of King Arthur: Lev Grossman’S Postsecular Portrayal Of Nimue In The Bright Sword, Liz Busby

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


She Chose Her Fate: The Genderqueer Women Of Tolkien And Freedom Beyond The Patriarchal Binary, Alicia Fox-Lenz, Grace Moone, Leah Hagan Aug 2025

She Chose Her Fate: The Genderqueer Women Of Tolkien And Freedom Beyond The Patriarchal Binary, Alicia Fox-Lenz, Grace Moone, Leah Hagan

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


“The Gift Which Was Withheld I Take”: The Rape Of The Sun Maiden In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Kristine Larsen Aug 2025

“The Gift Which Was Withheld I Take”: The Rape Of The Sun Maiden In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Kristine Larsen

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


From Once To Future Queen: Revitalizing Guinevere In Recent Arthuriana, Michael A. Torregrossa Aug 2025

From Once To Future Queen: Revitalizing Guinevere In Recent Arthuriana, Michael A. Torregrossa

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Painting “The Most Beautiful Of All The Children Of Ilúvatar”: Aesthetic Beauty In The Silmarillion And Its Illustrations, Marie Bretagnolle Aug 2025

Painting “The Most Beautiful Of All The Children Of Ilúvatar”: Aesthetic Beauty In The Silmarillion And Its Illustrations, Marie Bretagnolle

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Witches, Prophets, And Outcasts: Liminal Women In Mythopoeic Fantasy, Supriya Baijal Aug 2025

Witches, Prophets, And Outcasts: Liminal Women In Mythopoeic Fantasy, Supriya Baijal

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Reimagining Human-Nonhuman Friendships Through Feminist Animal Studies: An Exploration Of Sunny And Della’S Cross-Species Friendship In Nnedi Okorafor’S The Nsibidi Scripts Series, Akshitha Javahar Aug 2025

Reimagining Human-Nonhuman Friendships Through Feminist Animal Studies: An Exploration Of Sunny And Della’S Cross-Species Friendship In Nnedi Okorafor’S The Nsibidi Scripts Series, Akshitha Javahar

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


“Her Hair Was Held A Marvel Unmatched”: The Significance Of Long, Blonde Hair In Tolkien’S Imagination, Sara Brown Aug 2025

“Her Hair Was Held A Marvel Unmatched”: The Significance Of Long, Blonde Hair In Tolkien’S Imagination, Sara Brown

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Keynote: Still Perilous, Still Fair: Perspectives On The Legacy, Or How (Not)Éowyn And (Not) Galadriel Made The Magic Work, Leslie Donovan, Janet Brennan Croft Aug 2025

Keynote: Still Perilous, Still Fair: Perspectives On The Legacy, Or How (Not)Éowyn And (Not) Galadriel Made The Magic Work, Leslie Donovan, Janet Brennan Croft

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

No abstract provided.


Welcome And Announcements, The Mythopoeic Society Aug 2025

Welcome And Announcements, The Mythopoeic Society

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

Join us for a screening of the Welcome and Announcements video and have a cup of coffee before we get started!


Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Beowulf: Rowling’S Beowulfian Allusions, Analogues, And Inversions, Mark-Elliot Finley Apr 2025

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Beowulf: Rowling’S Beowulfian Allusions, Analogues, And Inversions, Mark-Elliot Finley

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

In this essay, I suggest Rowling’s Goblet of Fire literarily echoes the Old English epic poem Beowulf, while simultaneously updating the medieval epic to reflect the novel’s place within the modernized, Christian-influenced fantasy tradition. While cursory popular links have been made between the Old English epic with Rowling’s novel, this essay presents a sustained dialogue between Beowulf and Goblet of Fire. Both heroes engage in one-to-one combat (Beowulf with Grendel and Harry with Voldemort), venture into an unknown watery abyss (Beowulf diving into Grendel’s mother’s underwater cave and Harry rescuing Ron and Gabrielle from the merpeople in Hogwarts’s …


Orpheus And The Harrowing Of Hell In The Tale Of Beren And Lúthien, Giovanni Carmine Costabile Apr 2024

Orpheus And The Harrowing Of Hell In The Tale Of Beren And Lúthien, Giovanni Carmine Costabile

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Critics have observed that Beren and Lúthien’s tale is a Christian retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The “Harrowing of Hell” tradition is widespread in Italy as attested by the mosaic of San Marco among others, but it is in France that the Ovid Moralized reconnects it to Orpheus who descended into the Underworld to save Eurydice (an already late antique parallel) and therefore attests a happy ending version of the story that can be found in medieval England and also in various classical sources, perhaps even in the original legend of Orpheus. The apocryphal Harrowing is also …


Queering The Family In Zoraida Córdova’S Labyrinth Lost, Rebekah Rendon Feb 2024

Queering The Family In Zoraida Córdova’S Labyrinth Lost, Rebekah Rendon

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova focuses on Alex Mortiz, a Mexican-American bruja and her journey to a fantastical otherworld to rescue her family. Alex begins to understand the love and unity that exists in her own blood family, while forging new relationships, thereby creating a found family, or queered family. The topic of this paper addresses queerness and found family dynamics in Labyrinth Lost. While many scholars have written on themes in fantasy and magical realism texts by Latino/a and Hispanic authors, these genres tend to be under-researched in literature for young adults. My argument analyzes Labyrinth Lost as emblematic …


Queen's Pride: A Queer Reading Of Star Wars Character Padmé Amidala, Madeleine Loewen Feb 2024

Queen's Pride: A Queer Reading Of Star Wars Character Padmé Amidala, Madeleine Loewen

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

Ever since Luke Skywalker and Han Solo first appeared onscreen together in 1977, LGBTQ+ Star Wars fans have harnessed the power of queer reading to write themselves back into a galaxy far, far away, despite Lucasfilm’s long-term disapproval of such practices. Nonetheless, there exists little scholarly literature on queerness in the franchise, and even less on the potentially sapphic characters. Queen Padmé Amidala, first introduced onscreen in Episode I: The Phantom Menace, proves a surprising—but no less salient—queer figure in Star Wars. From her intimate relationships with her handmaidens, to her experimentation with gender performativity, to her quiet yet intense …