Tag Archives: The History of Middle-earth

Trees, Leaves, Vines, Circles: Reading and Writing The Layered Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fiction: A Note on “Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth” and “Leaf by Niggle”

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

When I was teaching J.R.R. Tolkien‘s “Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth” for the first time a couple of years ago, we had a strong conversation around the “Debate between Finrod and Andreth.” For those who have not yet discovered it, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Arthurian Torso, Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth, C.S. Lewis, Carl Hostetter, Charles Williams, Christopher Tolkien, Inklings, Leaf by Niggle, Morgoth's Ring, subcreation, The History of Middle-earth, The Nature of Middle-earth, Tolkien Reading Day | 26 Comments

The Doom and Destiny of Tolkien’s Chaucer Research: A Note on John M. Bowers, Tolkien’s Lost Chaucer (2019)

Posted on November 3, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Tolkien’s Lost Chaucer is a book about a book that was doomed from the start. As I have been preparing for a Canterbury Tales section in a class I’m teaching, I have been using this recent winner of the Mythopoeic … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Beowulf, C.S. Lewis, Chaucer, Christopher Tolkien, Harold Bloom, J.R.R. Tolkien, John M. Bowers, Middle English, The Canterbury Tales, The History of Middle-earth, Tolkien’s Lost Chaucer | 19 Comments

Trees, Leaves, Vines, Circles: The Layered Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fiction, A Note on “Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth”

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

I am for the first time teaching J.R.R. Tolkien‘s “Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth,” the “Debate between Finrod and Andreth”–though I wonder if “Dialogue” is a better term for “Athrabeth.” Finrod was the son of Finarfin, great Elven King of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Arthurian Torso, Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Christopher Tolkien, Inklings, Leaf by Niggle, Morgoth's Ring, subcreation, The History of Middle-earth | 18 Comments

Corey Olsen’s Exploring The Hobbit: A 10 Minute Book Talk

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

From my point of view, there are three (linked) things that make Corey Olsen’s Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit an effective companion to one of the most important pieces of literature in the 20th century: 1. A focussed close-reading of the text, … Continue reading →

Posted in 10 Minute Book Talk, Reviews | Tagged Corey Olsen, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, The History of Middle-earth, The Hobbit | 3 Comments

Christopher Tolkien, Curator of Middle-earth, Has Died, and a Letter from His Father

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

As last evening tilted towards nighttime in my part of the world, my social media feeds began filling with the news that Christopher Tolkien had died. The last living Inkling, Christopher John Reuel Tolkien (21 Nov 1924 to 15 Jan … Continue reading →