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A Low Place in the Hedge (FR 1.i.36) -- A very low place indeed and a detail in a painting.
It Wants to be Found -- Some first thoughts on just how sentient the Ring is, or is not.
Some Thoughts on Structure and Meaning in The Lord of the Rings -- The interlace structure of the first two books suggests important clues to understanding the power of the Ring and the relationship of the characters to it.
An Allusion to Rupert Brooke in Tolkien? -- Both authors use similar and unusual phrasing to describe 1914.
Anachronism and Artifacts of Translation (FR 1.i.27-28) -- The 'express train' in A Long-expected Party.
Hobbit Verses Versus Verses by Hobbits: Orality, Poetry, and Literacy in Bilbo's Shire -- a preliminary examination, presented at the Mythgard Midatlantic Speculative Fiction Symposium, about hobbit poetry and what it can tell us about hobbit society.
Gollum before The Taming of Sméagol (I) -- a discussion of the role and portrayal of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings before he actually appears onstage as a character. The first in a series, this post focuses on what is said about Gollum in A Long-Expected Party.
The Restlessness of the Ringbearer -- Frodo's growing restlessness in the Shire is in part a sign that Ring was beginning to get control of him.
Gollum before The Taming of Sméagol (II) -- a discussion of the role and portrayal of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings before he actually appears onstage as a character. The second in a series, this post focuses on what is said about Gollum in The Shadow of the Past.
Gollum before The Taming of Sméagol (V) -- The last in the series, this post examines the portrayal of Gollum in the first and second editions of The Hobbit and the Prologue to The Lord of the Rings.
Gollum Could Have Been Even More Appalling -- HoMe VI.264 -- Tolkien at first began to make Gollum even more evil in The Lord of the Rings than we see him to be in the published version, but the development of the idea that Gollum might be cured led him to rewrite again.
An Observation on the Ring Verse (FR 1.ii.50) -- Men alone are described by their nature in these verses
That Vile Creature -- An Observation Revisited -- a discussion of the relationship between Frodo's attempt to deny Gollum's humanity at FR 1.ii.59 and the discussion found in Two Observations on Gollum's First Appearance at 4.i.612-13.
Again That Vile Creature, With A Special Guest Appearance by Grendel -- a discussion of the use of the word 'creature' in The Lord of the Rings and its special application to Gollum, plus a link between this word, the word gæst at Beowulf line 102, and 'ghost.'
The Gladden Fields -- Great Beds of Iris and Flowering Reeds -- an investigation into the type of Iris Tolkien had in mind at FR 1.ii.53.
Not by Taters Alone: Sam and Story (I) -- a discussion of the introduction of Sam into the narrative and of his attitude towards Story (FR 1.i.22-24, ii,43-46). The first of a series.
Beyond This Be Elves! Sam and Story (II) -- Sam wonders if he is about to meet the Elves, and what that reveals (FR 1.iii.73-74). The second of a series.
The Black Rider, The Fox, and the Elves -- an examination of the 'thinking fox' at FR 1.iii.72.
Words Which They Only Partly Understood -- The First Hymn To Elbereth (FR 1.iii.79) -- A brief look at what this hymn tells us about the power of Elvish Minstrelsy and its possible limits.
Clear Are Thy Eyes and Bright Thy Breath (FR 1.iii.79) -- a quick explanation of the odd phrase 'bright thy breath.'
A Very Long Road, into Darkness: Sam and Story (III) -- Sam meets the Elves and his perspective on them, on himself, and on Story changes (FR 1.iv.86-87). The third in a series.
From Crickhollow to the Gates of Bree -- a study of the different states of consciousness that appear in the chapters on The Old Forest, Tom Bombadil, and the Barrow-Downs, and how they interact to describe reality in Middle-earth.
Two Quick Observations on Goldberry -- Goldberry, water-lilies, and nymphs.
A Low Place in the Hedge (FR 1.i.36) -- A very low place indeed and a detail in a painting.
It Wants to be Found -- Some first thoughts on just how sentient the Ring is, or is not.
Some Thoughts on Structure and Meaning in The Lord of the Rings -- The interlace structure of the first two books suggests important clues to understanding the power of the Ring and the relationship of the characters to it.
An Allusion to Rupert Brooke in Tolkien? -- Both authors use similar and unusual phrasing to describe 1914.
Anachronism and Artifacts of Translation (FR 1.i.27-28) -- The 'express train' in A Long-expected Party.
Hobbit Verses Versus Verses by Hobbits: Orality, Poetry, and Literacy in Bilbo's Shire -- a preliminary examination, presented at the Mythgard Midatlantic Speculative Fiction Symposium, about hobbit poetry and what it can tell us about hobbit society.
Gollum before The Taming of Sméagol (I) -- a discussion of the role and portrayal of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings before he actually appears onstage as a character. The first in a series, this post focuses on what is said about Gollum in A Long-Expected Party.
The Restlessness of the Ringbearer -- Frodo's growing restlessness in the Shire is in part a sign that Ring was beginning to get control of him.
Gollum before The Taming of Sméagol (II) -- a discussion of the role and portrayal of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings before he actually appears onstage as a character. The second in a series, this post focuses on what is said about Gollum in The Shadow of the Past.
Gollum before The Taming of Sméagol (V) -- The last in the series, this post examines the portrayal of Gollum in the first and second editions of The Hobbit and the Prologue to The Lord of the Rings.
Gollum Could Have Been Even More Appalling -- HoMe VI.264 -- Tolkien at first began to make Gollum even more evil in The Lord of the Rings than we see him to be in the published version, but the development of the idea that Gollum might be cured led him to rewrite again.
An Observation on the Ring Verse (FR 1.ii.50) -- Men alone are described by their nature in these verses
That Vile Creature -- An Observation Revisited -- a discussion of the relationship between Frodo's attempt to deny Gollum's humanity at FR 1.ii.59 and the discussion found in Two Observations on Gollum's First Appearance at 4.i.612-13.
Again That Vile Creature, With A Special Guest Appearance by Grendel -- a discussion of the use of the word 'creature' in The Lord of the Rings and its special application to Gollum, plus a link between this word, the word gæst at Beowulf line 102, and 'ghost.'
The Gladden Fields -- Great Beds of Iris and Flowering Reeds -- an investigation into the type of Iris Tolkien had in mind at FR 1.ii.53.
Not by Taters Alone: Sam and Story (I) -- a discussion of the introduction of Sam into the narrative and of his attitude towards Story (FR 1.i.22-24, ii,43-46). The first of a series.
Beyond This Be Elves! Sam and Story (II) -- Sam wonders if he is about to meet the Elves, and what that reveals (FR 1.iii.73-74). The second of a series.
The Black Rider, The Fox, and the Elves -- an examination of the 'thinking fox' at FR 1.iii.72.
Words Which They Only Partly Understood -- The First Hymn To Elbereth (FR 1.iii.79) -- A brief look at what this hymn tells us about the power of Elvish Minstrelsy and its possible limits.
Clear Are Thy Eyes and Bright Thy Breath (FR 1.iii.79) -- a quick explanation of the odd phrase 'bright thy breath.'
A Very Long Road, into Darkness: Sam and Story (III) -- Sam meets the Elves and his perspective on them, on himself, and on Story changes (FR 1.iv.86-87). The third in a series.
From Crickhollow to the Gates of Bree -- a study of the different states of consciousness that appear in the chapters on The Old Forest, Tom Bombadil, and the Barrow-Downs, and how they interact to describe reality in Middle-earth.
Two Quick Observations on Goldberry -- Goldberry, water-lilies, and nymphs.
The Black Riders at Bree -- a discussion of what we learn about the Black Riders from Strider's description of them in the hobbits' room at The Prancing Pony (FR 1.x.172-175), how that is illustrated by what happens in the next two scenes (FR 1.xi.176-179), and how we here see Tolkien first using the technique of switching between different threads of the story which he uses to great effect throughout The Two Towers and The Return of the King.
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