New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
Extracts from the Annals of Beleriand, including the Old English version, that deal with the capture and rescue of Maedhros.
With a very brief discussion.
Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Analysing Arda |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 14 July 2018 | Updated on 12 August 2023 |
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What do the Silmarils and the Ring have in common? They are both the titular objects of their respective books around which the major plot turns, it is true. They are both made by powerful individuals, and are desired by many different people, and when they are lost and/or stolen their makers are desperate to retrieve them. Characters die for them, and kill for them. At this extremely surface level reading they do, indeed, seem very similar. But the deeper you look at each object the more glaring differences show themselves, until you realize that they do not parallel, but rather oppose each other.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Analysing Arda, Jubilee |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 22 January 2023 | Updated on 24 January 2023 |
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This two-part paper discusses different elven responses to trauma exposure and forced displacement in Beleriand and Middle-earth (absolutely not exhaustive!). The first half of the paper focuses on Elrond's response to traumatic stress, while the second half compares the impact of Galadriel and Oropher's migration into formerly Silvan realms. First given at the Tolkien Society's Diversity & Tolkien seminar in 2021.
Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Galadriel, J.R.R. Tolkien, Nandor, Oropher, Sindar |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: First Age, Second Age, Third Age, Language, Elves, Political Science | Challenges: |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 3 September 2022 | Updated on 3 September 2022 |
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A letter to the author, by a writer of fan fiction.
That is, to Tolkien.
Written for a prompt of the "Dear Irmo" challenge.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Dear Irmo |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 25 September 2021 | Updated on 26 September 2021 |
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A short exploration of my time in the Tolkien fandom: How did I get here, why did I stay, what did I learn.
For the Middle-earth Olympics Diving prompt.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Middle-earth Olympics |
Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
Posted on 29 July 2021 | Updated on 29 July 2021 |
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An essay on the subject of where the hell Beleg Cúthalion gets to in the second half of The Children of Húrin. He may be dead, but why is even his memory conspicuously absent?
Major Characters: Beleg, Finduilas, Glaurung, Nienor, Túrin |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: |
Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
Posted on 25 January 2021 | Updated on 6 February 2021 |
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Melkor cannot create a new race. We know the discussions on Orcs - but what about Dragons?
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Block Party |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 5 May 2020 | Updated on 5 May 2020 |
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Appropriate food choices for an ongoing observance of Bilbo's and Frodo's birthday.
Major Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Frodo |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Block Party |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 17 April 2020 | Updated on 17 April 2020 |
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How realistic are Thorondor and the eagles of Manwë? Could eagles of such size actually fly, much less carry people on their backs?
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Solve a Problem |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 16 August 2019 | Updated on 16 August 2019 |
This fanwork is a work in progress. |
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I beg your indulgence for this, my entry for the "Solve a problem" challenge. I realize the problem is all mine. Who IS the tallest? Or does it matter? What was Tolkien thinking?
Major Characters: Ancalagon, Aredhel, Azaghâl, Beleg, Celeborn, Dwarves, Edain, Elendil, Elves, Fëanor, Galadriel, Galdor (Edain), Glaurung, Húrin, Indis, Legendary/Mythical Character(s), Maedhros, Melkor, Nerdanel, Noldor, Númenóreans, Other Fictional Character(s), Real Person(s), Turgon, Túrin |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Solve a Problem |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 15 August 2019 | Updated on 15 August 2019 |
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some observations concerning orcs
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Solve a Problem |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 7 August 2019 | Updated on 7 August 2019 |
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A look at Tolkien's use of the word "fair" as a descriptor in The Silmarillion.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Solve a Problem |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 31 July 2019 | Updated on 31 July 2019 |
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In this review of Dome Karukolski's biopic Tolkien, I consider the role of fictionalization, dangling threads, and of course the power of fellowship in art.
Major Characters: J.R.R. Tolkien |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 7 April 2019 | Updated on 7 April 2019 |
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Quote-heavy essay on the Battle at the Sarn Athrad against the dwarves, editorial changes to rework the Death of Thingol to fit together with later drafts, and a possible way to reconcile drafts and conflicting canon.
Major Characters: Beren, Dwarves, Elu Thingol, Sons of Fëanor |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 15 January 2019 | Updated on 15 January 2019 |
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It is high time that I explained a head-canon that became the bedrock upon which sits "Of Ingwë Ingweron". Building off some ideas about the Vanyar and my ideas and opinions about Cuiviénen, I landed on what I swear is not a crack theory.
Major Characters: Imin, Ingwë |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 14 January 2019 | Updated on 14 January 2019 |
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Meta collection written for the 2018 Holiday Feast Challenge. Each course will be presented as its own chapter.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Holiday Feast |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 21 December 2018 | Updated on 22 December 2018 |
This fanwork is a work in progress. |
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I have been meaning to write an essay on this topic this year, but it's such a complicated topic that I haven't even begun to read up on it. I have, however, assembled a list of material I would read if I got around to tackling the essay. So here: have an informal bibliography, with unqualified commentary by yours truly.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Holiday Feast |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 3 December 2018 | Updated on 3 December 2018 |
This fanwork is a work in progress. |
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Can Kol Nidrei annul Maglor’s oath?
Major Characters: Maglor |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 16 September 2018 | Updated on 16 September 2018 |
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Tinfang is accounted one of the greatest minstrels, along with Maglor and Daeron.
In spite of this, the musical abilities of all three outside of sheer performance skills are described in less detail in The Silmarillion than other characters like Finrod. This essay attempts to gather the quotes that suggest Tinfang's degree of power and influence over objects and people in his original context.
Major Characters: Tinfang |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Analysing Arda |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 16 July 2018 | Updated on 16 July 2018 |
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In the 'real' Middle Ages women died in childbirth in droves. In Tolkien's world motherhood is even more deadly, but in a narrative sense rather than an obstetrical one.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Analysing Arda |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 15 July 2018 | Updated on 15 July 2018 |
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A critical examination of Thingol as a leader in The Silmarillion.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Analysing Arda |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 13 July 2018 | Updated on 13 July 2018 |
This fanwork is a work in progress. |
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The Valar present an interesting case study of sexism in Tolkien's legendarium because they occupy a prototypical role, representing Iluvatar's intentions on how the universe should operate. My research shows that the female Valar not only appear far less frequently in The Silmarillion than the male Valar but are less involved, less assertive, and speak less.
Major Characters: Nienna, Valar, Varda, Yavanna |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Analysing Arda |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 8 July 2018 | Updated on 8 July 2018 |
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A collection of quotes dealing with the fact that Tolkien explicitly set Middle-earth in our world from the very beginning of his Legendarium.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Analysing Arda |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 6 July 2018 | Updated on 6 July 2018 |
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There are various recurring convictions concerning the matter of love, sex and marriage among the Eldar. We've probably all encountered them at some point. But a closer look at Tolkien's writings shows that matters aren't as simple as fanon tends to believe.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: Analysing Arda |
Rating: General | Warnings: Rape/Nonconsensual Sex, Character Death, Sexual Content (Mild) |
Posted on 30 June 2018 | Updated on 30 June 2018 |
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Tolkien's creation story the Ainulindalë includes many archetypal elements. This essay explores the deus faber or god-as-maker element and why creation from vocal song is vitally important to legendarium.
Major Characters: No major characters listed |
Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
Topic: | Challenges: B2MeM 2018 |
Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
Posted on 3 March 2018 | Updated on 3 March 2018 |
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