References by Title

Beren by oshun

Following up on our three-part biography of Lúthien Tinúviel, this month's biography of Beren discusses his early life, the evolution of his character in the legendarium, and his particular importance as a prototype for Aragorn and the small, simple heroes who would come to characterize Tolkien's later work.

Table of Contents

Published on 1 June 2020 .

Beyond Borders: Canon Deviations, Multifandoms, and Original Content by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Data from the 2015 and 2020 Tolkien Fanfiction Surveys shows to what extent Tolkien fanfiction writers push beyond the canon and toward or into the realm of originality, as well as whether trends exist in among the various ways authors venture beyond the borders of Middle-earth.

Published on 30 March 2024 .

Bór by Himring

As one of the loyal Easterlings during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Bór and his sons reflect Tolkien's development of lands and peoples beyond Beleriand.

Published on 1 July 2022 .

Brandir by Himring

Brandir was the leader of the Haladin when he became ensnared in the downfall of Túrin.

Published on 1 October 2015 .

Brodda by oshun

An upstart leader of the Easterlings, Brodda forcibly took Aerin to marriage and played a role in the story of the House of Húrin.

Published on 1 July 2017 .

Burning in the House: Éowyn's Outcry and the Death of Aerin by Himring

In an attempt to allow widely separated parts of the Legendarium to throw light on each other, Aerin's final acts are compared to the imagery in which Éowyn's expresses her concerns in The Lord of the Rings. The relevant passages share the motif of the burning house. The handling of this motif suggests authorial sympathy with Éowyn's plight.

Published on 22 June 2018 .

Caranthir by Silver Trails

The fourth son of Fëanor, Caranthir's character leaves many questions unanswered that invite fan speculation.

Published on 1 November 2009 .

Caranthir (Seven in '07) by Dawn Felagund

In a brief biography written for the Seven in '07 event, Caranthir is revealed as a rather enigmatic character among the Fëanorians.

Published on 4 July 2007 .

Carcharoth by Robinka

The massive wolf Carcharoth draws on a rich literary history of symbolic and mythic significance of wolves.

Published on 1 February 2015 .

Cauldron of Fanfic: The Use of Jackson's Films in Constructing Tolkien-Based Fanfiction by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Peter Jackson's film trilogies become one of several text that writers of Tolkien-based fanfiction use in constructing their stories. This article considers how they select and use details from the films as inspiration, the reconcile the films and books, and to critique the films.

Published on 18 June 2022 .

Celeborn by oshun

Following the two-part biography of Galadriel, this essay considers her husband, who was notable as a warrior and a leader in his own right. A character dogged by movie fanon that would dismiss him as inconsequential and confused by contradictory texts, Celeborn emerges in this analysis as sympathetic, powerful, and wise: a fitting companion for Galadriel.

Published on 1 October 2018 .

Celebrían by Grundy

Celebrían is one of the legion of women in the legendarium whose status suggests she should play a more prominent role in the narrative than she does. This month's biography sifts through the many mentions of Celebrían in various sources to provide a picture of this important—if canonically neglected—woman.

Published on 6 March 2021 .

Celebrimbor by oshun

Celebrimbor first appeared in The Lord of the Rings, and as Tolkien rewrote his story to include him in The Silmarillion, his proclivities and tale parallels that of his grandfather Fëanor.

Published on 1 March 2010 .

Celebrimbor (Seven in '07) by Dawn Felagund

In a brief biography written for the Seven in '07 event, Celebrimbor was originally a Lord of the Rings character retrofitted into The Silmarillion.

Published on 9 July 2007 .

Celegorm by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Celegorm emerged early in Tolkien's work on the "Silmarillion," but his evolution into the villain he would become in the published text is complicated, and he filled two surprising roles before coming fully into his own. The first of two parts considers how early work on the "Silmarillion" shaped his final characterization.

Published on 4 November 2023 .

Celegorm (Seven in '07) by Dawn Felagund

In a brief biography written for the Seven in '07 event, Celegorm is revealed as a character who evolves from one beloved of a Vala to a fallen, villainous character.

Published on 3 July 2007 .

Cherished Antagonist, Despised Protagonist- a defence of Elu Thingol by Stella Getreuer-Kostrouch

Elu Thingol is a complicated character in "The Silmarillion." Faced with tough choices, he makes both good and bad decisions. But, as this paper argues, the Silmarillion fandom tends to file Thingol away as a convenient villain. This paper makes the case that many of his decisions are more complex than fans tend to assume and defends his place as one of the legendarium's complex characters and deserving of empathy.

Published on 14 July 2025 .

Chronology of the Silmarillion by clotho123

A compilation of Tolkien's various timelines from the First Age and earlier that presents dates for important events from The Silmarillion.

Published on 1 January 2011 .

Círdan the Shipwright by oshun

Círdan the Shipwright is one of Tolkien's few important characters who plays a substantial role throughout the entire history of the Elves in Middle-earth, present from Cuiviénen to the departure of Frodo at the start of the Fourth Age.

Table of Contents

Published on 1 July 2014 .

Comparing Tolkien's Thieves To Beowulf and the Old English Context by savannahhorrell

Theft is heavily stigmatized in the Old English legal literature. This stigma carries over to fictional sources, including Beowulf. As a professor of Anglo-Saxon, Tolkien was heavily influenced by these sources. Multiple characters in Middle-earth shy away from the label of 'thief', even as they take actions which many would describe as stealing (see Bilbo, Beren, Lúthien). The balance between historical stigma and the more modern hero thief is mediated by judicious word choice and framing. 

Published on 30 July 2025 .

Crossroads by Simon J. Cook

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.

Published on 11 April 2024 .

Daeron by oshun

Given a prominent role in the narrative, Daeron nonetheless receives few words in The Silmarillion.

Published on 1 April 2008 .

Death, Grief, and the Other in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma

The narrator of the Quenta Silmarillion uses death, grief, and mourning rituals to generate sympathy for or dehumanize groups of characters considered the Other.

Published on 14 September 2024 .

Denethor of the Nandor by oshun

One of the few named Avari in the texts, Denethor's death in an early battle would have long-standing consequences for his people, the Laiquendi.

Published on 1 December 2013 .

Dior Eluchíl by oshun

The only child of Lúthien and Beren, Dior's legacy is mostly due to his place in the history of the Peredhil who would knit together the First, Second, and Third Ages.

Published on 1 June 2013 .