Gender and Tolkien
A Woman in Few Words: The Character of Nerdanel and Her Treatment in Canon and Fandom
Published on 15 January 2008 | Essay | Award Winner
A review of the canon facts available on Nerdanel and discussion of why she remains so popular with fans despite her scarce appearances in the texts.
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Genre: No genre listed.
Characters: Nerdanel
Pairing: No pairing listed.
The Inequality Prototype: Gender, Inequality, and the Valar in Tolkien’s Silmarillion
Published on 8 July 2018 | Essay
The Valar present an interesting case study of sexism in Tolkien's legendarium because they occupy a prototypical role, representing Iluvatar's intentions on how the universe should operate. My research shows that the female Valar not only appear far less frequently in The Silmarillion than the male Valar but are less involved, less assertive, and speak less.