Tolkien’s Poetry | Octosyllabic Couplets + New Project Announcement

 

Tapisserie de Bayeux - Scène 32 : des hommes observent la comète de Halley

The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun and The Lay of Leithian are, in my opinion, two masterly-crafted long, epic poems (even though the latter, alas, remains unfinished).

I am no poetry expert, having never managed to successfully appreciate many poems (especially those of the modern sort, with free verse and all that), but there was something in Tolkien’s own poetic writings which I found accessible, instant and attractive. And while Tolkien might not be considered one of the great poetry writers, his verses seem to embody a character of their own — steeped in history and language, harking back to the style and tone of the great classical works, The Odyssey, The Divine Comedy and, naturally, Beowulf. Continue reading “Tolkien’s Poetry | Octosyllabic Couplets + New Project Announcement”

Books I’ve Read in 2018 [Christmas wrap-up]

Stacks of books

It has become an annual tradition of sorts on this blog to post a list of books I have read in the last twelve months. This might perhaps provide some inspirational reading ideas for you, dear readers.

Besides, I think it’s the perfect opportunity for me to take a moment, stand back, and admire the books I have consumed (not literally). Continue reading “Books I’ve Read in 2018 [Christmas wrap-up]”