A blog for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, from complete beginners to avid enthusiasts, exploring the author's imaginary world, influential writing and cinematic adaptations.
Not that it was always going well for the good guys but, ever since the disaster of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the narrative has taken a turn for the worse; evil is allowed to reign supreme.
In addition, with Tolkien seemingly bent on revealing the progress of the story via the chapter titles, this next chapter promises another victory point for Morgoth and his minions. Continue reading “The Silmarillion – Chapter Twenty-Two”
So, just a few minutes away from my hometown, I discovered a fantastic piece of street art adorning an abandoned building.
You can imagine my surprise and awe as the wide-eyed creature that had been so meticulously painted, was none other than Gollum himself.
I almost stumbled on the pavement as I rounded a corner and found myself facing an old, beloved Middle-earth friend. Continue reading “Gollum Discovered!”
Way back in time, when this blog was but a few days old, I wrote a two-part post (Part I & Part II) on why I considered Tolkien might be categorised under the sub-literary branch of “dark fantasy”.
‘Of Túrin Turambar’ is the second of the Great Tales in The Silmarllion. Undoubtedly, it is also the greatest (both in terms of length and detailed narrative composition).
It’s a dark tale full of ups and downs (with certainly more downs than ups); where a glimmer of hope in the story turns out to be nothing more than an illusion.
It can also be a tough read at first. Thankfully, it’s a standalone story within The Silmarillion narrative and only a few past events and characters bear upon this chapter in any real way.
If you’ve read the previous chapter (‘Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad’) then you’re on the right track; the consequences of that battle are a direct influence on the successive events.
I’m sure you’re aware of the recent publication The Children of Húrin: a significantly expanded version of the chapter found in The Silmarillion. If you’re new to this story, I suggest you go through the chapter first and then proceed to reading the full tale once you’ve grasped the concept of the story.
In the meantime, here’s my own pitiful summary (spoilers ahead). Continue reading “TTRT: The Silmarillion – Chapter Twenty-One”
In what feels like an historic moment, the long-worked on Canto VI – following from the fifth Canto of Tolkien’s unfinished poem The Fall of Arthur – is finally complete.
It’s been almost a year since I first started work on this project (and here’s hoping I won’t take as long to complete the other planned cantos).
If this is the first time you’re reading about this little project of mine, head over to the first post to learn how it all started.
As I’ve said many times, I’m in no way attempting to do the impossible and write at the same level of Tolkien. But hopefully, I have captured some of the style of writing and a feel of the Old English metre (which is not strictly adhered to).
I’ve done some reshuffling and re-structuring on how I plan to continue the poem. In fact, two more Cantos will follow in order to complete the Arthurian cycle. Continue reading “Concluding ‘The Fall of Arthur’ – Canto VI Finished!”
If you have seen the films, you probably didn’t notice them. But if you’ve read The Lord of the Rings, you most probably remember them clearly. You’ve asked questions, but never got to any revealing answers.
It is ironic how, with all the appendices, letters and thousands of pages on Middle-earth’s history and detail, there are so many mysteries left unraveled by Tolkien.
Case in point are the Silent Watchers guarding the entrance to the tower of Cirith Ungol. Continue reading “What were the Silent Watchers?”
Last week I was contacted by Invaluable: an online auction site that specialises in authentic movie props.
I was asked to share my own thoughts on a favourite prop in the form of a blog post. Naturally, my mind hovered over the Middle-earth films and after looking deep into the recesses of thought, I’ve come up with a thing or two.
The result of that thinking process can be seen below … Continue reading “Favourite Middle-earth Prop”
With a chapter whose Elvish title can be translated as “Unnumbered Tears”, a reader can only expect one outcome from the battle that unfolds.
The pages recounting the Nirnaeth Arnoediad have always been special to me. Finally, after the conflicts and bickering among Elves, Dwarves and Men, the three races join forces to repel Morgoth once and for all.
It’s undoubtedly a major moment in the history of the First Age, and a highlight in The Silmarillion. It also marks Tolkien’s acute sense of geography, scale and mayhem. Continue reading “TTRT: The Silmarillion – Chapter Twenty”
On a particularly inspiring summer’s day in 2013, I decided I wanted to share with the world my passion for Tolkien.
I always wanted to discuss with other like-minded individuals the extraordinary qualities of his work and the beauties of the film adaptations.
Seeing how severely limited I was at finding people in my area who share the same interests, I timidly considered the online community.
After much brooding and thought, at 17:45pm on 8 July, I created a WordPress account, wrote my first post and A Tolkienist’s Perspective was born. Continue reading “A Tolkienist’s Perspective Celebrates 2 Years!”
It’s a love story that transcends the physical world; a powerful narrative on the hopes and destinies of the two principal races in The Silmarillion.
The first of the three Great Tales from the First Age, ‘Of Beren and Lúthien’ highlights Tolkien’s mastery in balancing the vast and the epic, with the intricate and romantic.
Forget Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde, or Dante’s Paolo e Francesca. The story of Beren and Lúthien may have been inspired by these older tales, but they are merely sketches that made way for the final masterpiece.
It’s impossible to summarise a chapter that runs over 20 pages and still do it justice. Therefore, I urge you to read through the book first (if you haven’t done so already) and then come back to these few meager lines that follow in this post … Continue reading “TTRT: The Silmarillion – Chapter Nineteen”
This is somewhat a Tolkien paper I had written a while back, with the expressed intention to publish it one day. When that day never seemed to arrive, I thought it would be suitable to post an edited version on this blog.
The following, although much abbreviated from the original, is still pretty long. So proceed with caution but, as always, please enjoy 🙂
A Tolkienist's Perspective 