Essay
A discussion of a personal viewpoint or opinion.
In a Stone House by the Sea: The Founding and Governing of the Silmarillion Writers' Guild
Published on 1 March 2015 | Essay
The history of the Silmarillion Writers' Guild and a day in the life of its owner: me.
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Character Biography: Vána
Published on 1 January 2011 | Essay
Barely mentioned in the published Silmarillion, Vána originally played a role as an active, assertive woman among the Valar. Her notable associations imply her role in the legendarium should be fuller than her meager mentions in the published Silmarillion suggest.
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Characters: Vána
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Character Biography: Vairë the Weaver
Published on 1 May 2012 | Essay
Although barely present in the published Silmarillion, Vairë emerges in Tolkien's earlier writings as a remarkably empathetic character and an apt foil to her cold-hearted husband Námo.
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Characters: Vairë
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Character Biography: Tulkas
Published on 1 November 2011 | Essay
Tulkas evolved from Tolkien's early work on the Silmarillion from a playful, youthful character to a character more associated with unapologetic violence.
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Characters: Tulkas
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Character Biography: Pengolodh
Published on 1 March 2016 | Essay
Pengolodh is the most important character never mentioned in the published Silmarillion. This essay discusses what he would have known of the history he wrote about and how that impacts interpreting The Silmarillion for fanfiction.
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Characters: Pengolodh
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Character Biography: Nerdanel
Published on 1 August 2018 | Essay
Nerdanel is a rare character among Tolkien's woman characters, possessing skill and fortitude rather than beauty, yet due to editorial intervention, has been removed almost entirely from the published text. Fans--mostly women--have effected her rescue through transformative works.
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Characters: Nerdanel
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Character Biography: Námo Mandos
Published on 1 January 2012 | Essay
Námo Mandos occupies a common role found in world mythology: that of the god of the dead. Shrouded in mystery and beset with moral ambiguity, Námo participates in tales with parallels in other world myths, especially the Greek and the Norse.
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Characters: Námo Mandos
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Character Biography: Mahtan
Published on 1 February 2013 | Essay
The story of Mahtan, the father of Nerdanel, is one among many tales that illustrates the potential of knowledge to corrupt and lead to evil.
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Characters: Mahtan
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"A Greater Still": The Importance of Song in Tolkien's Creation Myth
Published on 3 March 2018 | Essay
Tolkien's creation story the Ainulindalë includes many archetypal elements. This essay explores the deus faber or god-as-maker element and why creation from vocal song is vitally important to legendarium.
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We Are Fëanor? Thoughts on Reading Moral Ambiguity into the Characterizations of the Fëanorians
Published on 8 March 2015 | Essay
Reflecting on my experiences as a teacher at an alternative school and my fascination with the Fëanorians, I conclude that the question of what turns a person to violence is one of the most pressing--and frightening--to explore in fiction.
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Characters: Fëanor
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Beleriand Light & Power: Or Musings on the Silmarils, Capital-L Light, and the Hoarding of Resources in The Silmarillion
Published on 21 January 2018 | Essay
In the debate over who had the right to the Silmarils, rarely considered is the idea that the Light within them was not subcreated by the Valar but created by Eru. This essay reviews the evidence for creation (versus subcreation) of the Light and the implications of this idea for understanding the dispute over the Silmarils.
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Characters: Silmarils
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The Author of the “Quenta Silmarillion”–and Why I Think He Was Elvish
Published on 7 February 2018 | Essay
In his late writings, Tolkien reversed decades of the Silmarillion tradition, with its explicitly Elvish narrator, in favor of a Númenórean. This essay makes the case that, while this is Tolkien's stated intent, he never carried out these revisions, and the texts should still be read as coming from the Elvish tradition.
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Characters: Pengolodh
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101 Comment Starters
Published on 7 February 2018 | Essay
My research has shown that readers often don't comment on fanfiction because they lack the specific skill in writing that this requires. This resource uses an evidence-based pedagogical method used to teach writing--sentence starters--to scaffold commenting as a writing skill.
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Why People Don't Comment: Data and History From the Tolkienfic Community
Published on 24 February 2018 | Essay
Data from the Tolkienfic community shows that a lack of commenting on fanfiction is less about a lack of desire to comment and more about a lack of skill, confidence, and community, all of which empower readers to comment more on what they read.
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The Accidental King: Five Reasons Why Finarfin Deserves More Appreciation
Published on 3 June 2007 | Essay | Award Winner
An essay and commentary looking at the canonical facts about Finarfin in contrast to the neglect and hostility that his character is given by the Silmarillion fan fiction community.
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Characters: Finarfin
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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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Characters: Nerdanel
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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.
The Deaths of Kings: Historical Bias in the Death Scenes of Fëanor and Fingolfin
Published on 8 March 2017 | Essay
The death scenes of Fëanor and Fingolfin parallel each other closely in plot, beginning with the rash pursuit of single combat with Morgoth. Yet the manner in which the narrator of The Silmarillion, Pengolodh, employs language and symbolism leads to two very different conclusions that likely served to advance Pengolodh's political and personal agenda.
On Writing Aman, or the Balance between the Mythic and the Real
Published on 6 March 2017 | Essay
Fantasy writers, including creators of Tolkien-based fanworks, have long struggled to depict the "otherness" of realms like Aman. In the past, the Tolkien fanfiction community showed a preference for an idealistic portrayal of Aman that left little room for imperfection. My work has long taken the opposite approach, and in this essay, I argue for the artistic need and canonical basis for grounding stories set in Aman in a more recognizable reality of human experience.
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Characters: Fëanor
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Caranthir the Slandered: Narrative Bias, Cross-Cultural Alliances, and Fëanor’s Angriest Son
Published on 26 July 2018 | Essay
Caranthir is relentlessly described in The Silmarillion as dark and harsh and haughty, yet these descriptions bear little resemblance to his actual deeds. Instead, I argue in this essay, Caranthir serves as one of the rare cosmopolitans of the Noldor and is deliberately cast by the Silmarillion's pseudohistorical narrator as a foil to the equally cosmopolitan Finrod Felagund in order to elevate the reputation of the latter.
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Characters: Caranthir, Elu Thingol, Finrod Felagund, Pengolodh, Turgon
Pairing: No pairing listed.