Welcome to the Second and Third Ages of Middle-earth!
In this seminar we will deepen our knowledge of Tolkien’s in focusing primarily on two major texts, “Akallabêth” and The Lord of the Rings.
Taking a comparative perspective, we will reflect on the influence of the Atlantis myth as well as history writing, epic, and romance in the Old Norse and medieval European traditions and discuss what Tolkien achieves and/or undermines in his work. Our literary analysis will also focus poetry and the role of song in the texts. Additionally, we will take an intermedial perspective by studying the representation of architecture (including nature, ruins, cities, materials, role in the landscape, etc.) and reflect on the ways in which dwellings connect to language and express the character of a people/race. Other themes such as good vs evil, light vs dark, fate vs free will, the nature of heroism, and the quest motif will be discussed in class.
Each student will be required to present and analyze one of the 61 poems in The Lord of the Rings in terms of meter, poetic devices, subject, significance within the work. Additionally, student groups will research and present one architectural structure in connection with the reading. .
Readings; “Akallabeth: The Downfall of Númenor”, “Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age” (The Silmarillion); “The History of Celeborn and Galadriel” (Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth), “The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen”, The Lord of the Rings, Secondary readings will be provided by the instructor.
- Kursleiter/in: Stephanie Glaser