Medievalists.net » Tolkien http://www.medievalists.net Where the Middle Ages Begin Sun, 06 Dec 2015 19:35:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.9 Why Tolkien’s Beowulf is an ‘amazing book but a terrible translation’ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/11/15/why-tolkiens-beowulf-is-an-amazing-book-but-a-terrible-translation/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/11/15/why-tolkiens-beowulf-is-an-amazing-book-but-a-terrible-translation/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2015 04:07:15 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=62554 In the spring of 2014 a translation of Beowulf by J.R.R. Tolkien was published. Last week, Andy Orchard, one of the leading scholars of Old English, offered his thoughts about the book and revealed that he will be writing his own translation of the famous medieval poem.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/11/15/why-tolkiens-beowulf-is-an-amazing-book-but-a-terrible-translation/feed/ 0 Teaching Tolkien’s Translations of Medieval Literature: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Orfeo and Pearl http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/12/teaching-tolkiens-translations-of-medieval-literature-sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight-sir-orfeo-and-pearl/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/12/teaching-tolkiens-translations-of-medieval-literature-sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight-sir-orfeo-and-pearl/#comments Sun, 13 Sep 2015 04:53:32 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=61029 J.R.R. Tolkien, the medievalist who became the father of modern fantasy literature, translated many poems out of Old English, Old Norse and Middle English into carefully versified modern English

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/12/teaching-tolkiens-translations-of-medieval-literature-sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight-sir-orfeo-and-pearl/feed/ 0 Simply Walking into Mordor: How Much Lembas Would The Fellowship Need? http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/29/simply-walking-into-mordor-how-much-lembas-would-the-fellowship-need/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/29/simply-walking-into-mordor-how-much-lembas-would-the-fellowship-need/#comments Sun, 30 Aug 2015 00:27:04 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=60729 The Fellowship of the Ring were supposed to travel from Imraldis to the forges of Mt. Doom in order to destroy the One Ring of Sauron.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/29/simply-walking-into-mordor-how-much-lembas-would-the-fellowship-need/feed/ 0 Tolkien and the Viking Heritage http://www.medievalists.net/2015/06/28/tolkien-and-the-viking-heritage/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/06/28/tolkien-and-the-viking-heritage/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2015 22:54:04 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=59276 Much has already been written about the influence of Norse mythology on The Lord of the Rings. Less research has so far been done about how other aspects of the culture and history of the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons influenced Tolkien’s writing.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/06/28/tolkien-and-the-viking-heritage/feed/ 0 Riddles in the Dark Ages http://www.medievalists.net/2015/04/30/riddles-in-the-dark-ages/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/04/30/riddles-in-the-dark-ages/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2015 14:08:42 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=57956 Latin riddles depended on knowledge of a specific subject in order to be deciphered, while English riddles were often about common things like the weather.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/04/30/riddles-in-the-dark-ages/feed/ 0 The Anglo-Saxon War-Culture and The Lord of the Rings: Legacy and Reappraisal http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/18/anglo-saxon-war-culture-lord-rings-legacy-reappraisal-2/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/18/anglo-saxon-war-culture-lord-rings-legacy-reappraisal-2/#comments Sun, 18 Jan 2015 18:56:08 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=55485 The literature of war in English claims its origin from the Homeric epics, and the medieval accounts of chivalry and the crusades.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/18/anglo-saxon-war-culture-lord-rings-legacy-reappraisal-2/feed/ 0 Trolls in the Middle Ages http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/06/trolls-middle-ages/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/06/trolls-middle-ages/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2015 21:03:26 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=55266 Where did trolls come from? What did medieval and early modern people think of trolls? How did the concept of the modern day troll evolve?

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/06/trolls-middle-ages/feed/ 0 J.R.R. Tolkien and the morality of monstrosity http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/03/j-r-r-tolkien-morality-monstrosity/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/03/j-r-r-tolkien-morality-monstrosity/#comments Sat, 03 Jan 2015 20:24:13 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=55185 J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth is Beowulf for the twentieth century.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/03/j-r-r-tolkien-morality-monstrosity/feed/ 0 Which Member Of The Fellowship Are You? http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/03/member-fellowship/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/03/member-fellowship/#comments Sat, 03 Jan 2015 16:53:01 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=55180 Happy twelvety-third birthday to J.R.R. Tolkien! Let's go back to the Lord of the Rings and find out which of the brave companions are you?

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/01/03/member-fellowship/feed/ 0 Can you answer the Riddles of The Hobbit? http://www.medievalists.net/2014/12/20/can-answer-riddles-hobbit/ http://www.medievalists.net/2014/12/20/can-answer-riddles-hobbit/#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2014 18:55:33 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=54918 One of the most famous scenes in the story of The Hobbit is when Bilbo meets up with Gollum in the caves under the Misty Mountains. The two engage in a game of riddles, and Bilbo is able to escape with his life and a magical ring. Here are eight of the riddles they told each other - can you solve them?

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