References by Title

Erendis, the Mariner's Wife by oshun

Although never mentioned in The Silmarillion, Erendis rivals the most significant women in Tolkien’s legendarium in forcefulness of personality and certainly in sheer number of words expended upon her behalf.

Published on 1 August 2012 .

Erestor by oshun

Erestor has long been a favorite character among Tolkien fans. This biography explores what little the texts tells of him and how some of the most popular Erestor-related fanons may have arisen.

Published on 1 March 2019 .

Estë by Dawn Felagund

Estë is the goddess who sleeps through the book--or is she? Her character illustrates both the potential and ultimate shortcomings of so many female characters in Tolkien's legendarium.

Published on 1 May 2020 .

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.

Published on 9 November 2009 .

Exile, Wyrd and the Anglo-Saxon Warrior Ideal in The Wanderer and Tolkien's Quenta Silmarillion by Esteliel

As a professor of Anglo-Saxon, Tolkien's stories are undeniably influenced by the literature of this early people. This essay considers how exile, fate, the warrior ideal, and masculinity in the Quenta Silmarillion were influenced by the Anglo-Saxon poem The Wanderer.

Published on 1 August 2009 .

Fact, Interpretation and the Hard Business of Proof by darthfingon

Deciding what constitutes canon for the purpose of making fanworks relies partly on the words of the texts but also on the geographical and temporal vastness and diversity of Tolkien's world.

Published on 10 October 2010 .

Fandom Chocolate … or Authors Love Comments by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data shows that authors view comments as driving their motivation to create fanfiction. However, perception of comments by authors is part of a larger shift in fandom around how and how often fans interact with each other.

Published on 6 July 2024 .

Fandom Voices: Comments and Feedback by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Over thirty people contributed their thoughts on the experience of leaving and receiving feedback on fanworks. Emotions run high on all sides, but community and connections emerge as factors that promote feedback while easing its difficulties for readers and viewers.

Published on 3 August 2024 .

Fandom Voices: Defining Canon and Using Canon in Fanworks by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Fan responses show how complex is the understanding of the concept of "canon" within the Tolkien fandom. The first part analyzes responses around how fans navigate the complicated issue of Tolkien's canon. Update: Added responses from three additional fans.

Published on 22 April 2023 .

Fandom Voices: Filmverse Fans by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Fans who joined the Tolkien fandom because of the films report that the films inspired them to read the books, encouraged them to join fandom communities, and often resulted in forming lifelong friendships.

Table of Contents

Published on 26 August 2022 .

Fandom Voices: Impact of the Films by Dawn Felagund

The Tolkien fandom existed long before Jackson's film trilogies were even thought about. Fans who were active in fandom before one or both film trilogies recall how the films changed (or didn't change) their fan communities and experiences.

Table of Contents

Published on 13 May 2022 .

Fandom Voices: Using Fanon in Fanworks by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Sixteen Tolkien fans contributed their definitions of and experiences with fanon or fan-generated theories about the legendarium.

Published on 17 November 2023 .

Fandom Voices: Women in Fanworks by Dawn Walls-Thumma

The fandom has become a friendlier place for writing women, but its hostile history toward women-centric fanworks continues to exert a chilling effect for some, while other creators see potential in the legendarium and fandom's traditional lack of women characters.

Published on 25 November 2022 .

Fanfiction and the Serious Business of Writer's Craft by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data shows that while most authors self-identify as taking their craft seriously, a growing subset of authors may be pushing that norm.

Published on 25 May 2024 .

Fawlty Towers by Simon J. Cook

The tower analogy in "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics" wasn't simply a poignant extended metaphor about the poem but addressed specific scholars about academic debates around Beowulf. The lack of addressing this historical context has led to misreadings of Tolkien's meaning.

Published on 14 October 2023 .

Fëanor by oshun

In a brief biography written for the Seven in '07 event, Fëanor emerges as a star in the backstory of Tolkien's legendarium.

Published on 7 July 2007 .

Femslash Is a Political Act (and Other Observations of Tolkien Fandom's Genre Non Grata) by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data shows that femslash—the Tolkien fandom's youngest genre—has grown in popularity with readers, while authors may use it to share and reflect on experiences of marginalization.

Published on 19 February 2023 .

Finarfin by oshun

Finarfin exhibits traits the opposite of what one expects of the Noldor, ironically causing the "least exciting" of Finwë's sons to stand out among them.

Published on 1 September 2014 .

Fingolfin by oshun

The life story of Fingolfin is one of those central to the fierce and tragic tale of the fall of the Noldor.

Published on 1 May 2010 .

Fingon the Valiant by oshun

The story of Fingon the Valiant epitomizes the fate of the exiled Noldor, involving elements of extraordinary personal heroism combined with a foreordained doom to form the gripping foundation for the principal story.

Published on 1 March 2009 .

Finrod Felagund by oshun, pandemonium_213

The considerable virtues of Finrod Felagund are tempered with enough flaws to leave him an intruiging character.

Published on 1 September 2009 .

Finwë by oshun

Finwë, the first King of the Noldor, the unchallenged and beloved patriarch of his people, is written with shoulders figuratively broad enough to bear the weight of leadership of the most contentious family and people within Tolkien's history of the Elves.

Published on 1 June 2010 .

First Brick in the Wall by Simon J. Cook

Jane Chance's interpretation of the tower analogy in Tolkien's lecture-turned-essay "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics" dismisses historical inquiry as a valid reading of the poem.

Published on 9 November 2023 .

Galadriel by oshun

Galadriel is a rare example of a character added to The Silmarillion after and because of The Lord of the Rings. The complexity of her character development post-LotR largely comes from trying to fit her character into the existing myth. Part 1 explores her life in the Years of the Trees and the First Age; Part 2 continues with the significant influence she wields over the legendarium in the Second and Third Ages.

Table of Contents

Published on 1 May 2018 .

Galadriel: Parallels among Women in History and Literature by MirienSilowende

Tolkien may have taken inspiration for Galadriel's character—an outspoken queen figure—from literary and historical figures like Circe, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Joan of Arc.

Published on 9 December 2022 .