A Sense of History: Thálatta! Thálatta!
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
SWG News
Choose a Name for Our New Column!
Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
A Sense of History: Crossroads
In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Tengwar: To The Letter by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Malta'
[Writing] I Stood Aside by Flora-lass
Maedhros' horror at the burning of the ships. Inspired by a painting (see notes).
[Reference] Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[Writing] Words of Wisdom by AdmirableMonster
One or more drabbles about Pengolodh and his babysitter Salgant.
[Writing] Les Mots de Sagesse by AdmirableMonster
Plusieurs petites histoires qui parle de Pengolodh et Salgant pendant des moments differents.
[Writing] "Tengwar" ficlets by chrissystriped
Fics written for the "Tengwar" challenge.
Current Challenge
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Another Place in Time
Move beyond the places and times of familiar events to consider what was going on elsewhere in Arda at the same time as a major event covered in The Silmarillion. How--if at all--did the event impact what was transpiring elsewhere at the same time? Read more ...
New in References
Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
[]While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[]
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
[]In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Waybread (The Waybredlik) by Himring
[]Lembas speaks out.
[Series] Apr 1st Stories by Uvatha the Horseman
[]Once a year on April 1st, a canon character from LOTR or the Silmarillion gets pranked.
[Writing] Crossing Forest River by Dawn Felagund
[]Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Around the World and Web
Teitho May/June Challenge: Joker
For the May/June Teitho challenge, you can pick ANY of our past challenges that stir your imagination and write a story or create art for it.
Monstrous May 2024
Monstrous May is a Tumblr event where, for each day of the month of May, there is a prompt involving and invoking the monstrous.
Fellowship of the Fics: Modern AU May
During May, Fellowship of the Fics offers modern AU prompt lists for setting, character occupation, and dialogue on Tumblr.
May challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The May challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic challenge: name; formal challenge: acrostic. As usual, these can be filled independently and freely combined with other prompts such as the SWG challenges. New participants welcome!
May 2024 Calls for Papers
Conferences and publications that have open calls for papers in May 2024.
Fanworks Tagged with Language
“The Burnt Hand Teaches Most About Fire”: Applying Trauma Exposure and Ecological Frameworks to Narratives of Displacement and Resettlement Across Elven Cultures in Tolkien’s Middle-earth by UnnamedElement
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.
All About Accents! by darthfingon
What do all those accents and symbols in Tolkien's languages mean? This column explains what they mean and how to pronounce them.
Not Just the Son of That Guy: Creating Effective Names for Original Characters by darthfingon
So you need an Elvish name for your OC? This article gives tips and strategies for coming up with believable names that sound good.
Elven Holidays and Festivals: What do we have to work with in the First Age? by darthfingon
A rundown of the holidays we know existed in the First Age, as well as tips on how to design your own holiday.
Everyday Elves and What They Do by darthfingon
Not every Elf was a prince or a smith. The word lists give insight into some of the more unglamorous professions available to everyday Elves.
'Sindarin' is a Quenya Word: how the clan names make Elvish more confusing by darthfingon
The clans of the Elves are almost always named in Quenya, and this month's column demystifies how various Elven people would have referred to themselves in their own languages.
Sindarin vs Quenya: RELEVANCE FIGHT! by darthfingon
So you're working on a fanfiction ... what Elvish language should you use for names and snippets of dialogue? Here is a handy guide to choosing between Quenya and Sindarin.
Elvish Fanons and Canon Contradictions by darthfingon
The early word lists provide many refutes to the most common claims of "Elves would never ..." Here are four of the most salient.
Elven Families and What They Wore by darthfingon
This column uses old word lists to tackle two questions: Did the Elvish languages provide specific terms for relatives, or is everyone just kinsman? And what are the words for various items of clothing?
Twenty-Two Words You Never Thought Tolkien Would Provide by darthfingon
Some of Tolkien's earliest word lists include terms for words that provide sometimes surprising insights into the habits and cultures of the Elves.
Answers from Old Sources: Elven Food by darthfingon
Tolkien's early Elvish word lists reveal details about what Elves ate.
Answers from Old Sources: What Does That Name Mean? by darthfingon
An investigation of the meaning of some of Tolkien's more elusive Elvish names.
Name Calling: Group Identity and the Other among First Age Elves by Angelica
As the names used by the early Elves to identify themselves and others evolved according the essay Quendi and Eldar (HoMe 11), relationships between the different cultures are revealed.
