This book explores how that love influenced Tolkien's ideas about linguistic taste, his invention of languages, many of the themes and motifs in his creative writing, and his sense of a (regional) English identity. Drawing on unpublished material as well as Tolkien's published fiction, poetry and academic writing, Tolkien and Wales describes more fully than ever before the extent and depth of Tolkien's debt to the Welsh language and Welsh literature. It also argues that Tolkien's love of Wales and Welsh is inseparable from his love of England and his sense of belonging to the border country of the West Midlands. Besides discussing such famous books as The Hobbil and The Lord of the Rings, particular attention is paid to relatively neglected texts such as Tolkien's lecture on 'English and Welsh' and a poem that he published in The Welsh Review, The Lay of Aotrou and Iotroun. Where earlier scholarship has addressed Tolkien's debt to Welsh it has tended to do so in the context of 'Celtic' influence in general, but this book shows that Tolkien had very different attitudes to different Celtic languages. Tolkien and Wales reveals the seminal influence of Wales and Welsh on the writings of the twentieth century's most popular writer. Book jacket.
Tolkien and Welsh provides an overview of J.R.R.Tolkien's use of Welsh in his Legendarium, ranging from the obvious (Gwynfa-the Welsh word for Paradise), to the apparent (Took-a Welsh surname), to the veiled (Gerontius-the Latinizaton of a royal Welsh name), to the hidden (Goldberry-the English calque of a Welsh theonym). Though it is a book by a linguist, it was written for the non-linguist with the goal of making the topic accessible. The unavoidable jargon is explained in a glossary, and the narrative presents an overview of how Welsh influenced Tolkien's story line, as well as his synthetic languages Quenya and Sindarin. The study is based on specific examples of attested names, placed in the context of their linguistic and cultural background, while highlighting the peculiar features of Welsh, "the senior language of the men of Britain" (MC 189), that Tolkien found so intriguing. It supplements, rather than competes with Carl Phelpstead's excellent Tolkien and Wales, which sidestepped the topic of the Celtic linguistics behind Tolkien's work. Learn the story behind Lithe, Buckland, Anduin, and Baranduin. Pagination: xxx + 274, B&W illustrations by James Dunning, maps, Index, Trade Paper Jason Fisher--the editor of Tolkien and the Study of His Sources (McFarland, 2011), and the host of the blog 'Lingwë: Musings of a Fish' -- says: Tolkien and Welsh "should be pretty accessible to most readers." Mark gets "into some of the particulars of Welsh (and Sindarin) phonology--especially on the matter of mutation, a prominent feature of both languages--but Mark writes primarily for the lay person." Where Carl Phelpstead's book Tolkien and Wales "presents a broad survey of the forest as a whole, Mark's book is down at the level of the trees within it, even single leaves, grappling with individual words and names. If you are familiar with his previous books, it is much like those, but with the driving thread being the influence of Welsh on Tolkien's nomenclature and storytelling. I think Mark's book and Carl's complement each other and could be profitably read together." Tolkien and Welsh has been invited to enter the 2013 Competition for the Literature Wales Book of the Year Award. Participation is by invitation only. Despite the fact that the "Preface" explicitly advises the reader that: "The focus is on sources that were current at the time in which Tolkien lived and wrote. Modern theories may have supplanted the theories of Tolkien's time, but that is irrelevant. This volume explores the question of what Tolkien thought, not what we think we know now." some reviewers surprisingly fault Tolkien and Welsh for citing sources that present views that might not be supported by modern scholarship.
This work is a fresh look at the Maps of the Wilderland in The Hobbit, leading to the discovery that Professor Tolkien drew the imaginary maps from the Map of Wales back to front, or in reverse. The maps of the Shire in The Lord of The Rings are drawn likewise, of England. ‘“They are on their way to visit the land of their fathers, away east beyond Mirkwood,” put in Gandalf...’ Gandalf’s talk of the ‘land of their fathers’ is, by translation of its national anthem, Professor J.R.R. Tolkien’s hidden clue to the geography of Wales, which we learn the Professor loved, including its language. The focal point of The Hobbit, the Lonely Mountain, is identified as Cadair Idris of North-West Wales. Many of the topographical features of the Mountain coincide. The volcano-mouth Lake of the Lonely Mountain so resembles Llyn Cau of Cadair Idris. The marvel is that the lake has been overlooked so long: not only by Smaug the Dragon, but also by most commentators on The Hobbit. Which reader remembers there is a lake at all? Stephen interprets many of the allusions borrowed by Tolkien in his fantastic tale, including Beorn at the Carrock, the herons of Wales at Lake Town, and dragon fire at the Withered Heath. The work is divided into nine parts, with three site groupings. His unique focus on Tolkien’s map-making methodology will make his book relevant not only to Tolkien fans worldwide, but those interested in geography too.
" J.R.R. Tolkien's zeal for medieval literary, religious, and cultural ideas deeply influenced his entire life and provided the seeds for his own fiction. In Tolkien's Art, Chance discusses not only such classics as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, but focuses on his minor works as well, outlining in detail the sources and influences–from pagan epic to Christian legend-that formed the foundation of Tolkien's masterpieces, his "mythology for England."
Hosted online, the Tolkien Society 2020 seminar sought to explore how J.R.R. Tolkien's legacy partly relies on the continued adaption of his works, characters, and languages. It offered insights into a range of artistic adaptions and evaluated how the tangible result expands the Tolkien fanbase and readership while cultivating a love and appreciation of Tolkien through the adaptor's creative vision. It further examined the ways in which Tolkien's creations have been interwoven into the very fabric of our primary world. His words no longer simply exist on the page, they are transformed in our minds and are cast out into the stars. They inspire new universes and invite fresh interpretations from across the globe. Published under the auspices of the Society's Peter Roe Memorial Fund, this proceedings features a collection of six papers delivered at the Tolkien Society 2020 Online seminar.
Discover how to explore our beautiful world sustainably and responsibly with this trailblazing guide to flight-free travel. Seeking options that are enjoyable and kind to the planet, award-winning travel writer Emma Gregg shows you how to get a no-fly holiday off the ground. The Flightless Traveller presents 50 inspirational, life-affirming trip ideas for those who would like to fly less, or not at all. They include eco-friendly city breaks and coastal retreats, bike rides and sailing voyages, short jaunts on vintage railways and incredible intercontinental journeys. Some shed new light on wonderful, well-known places. Others reveal destinations, activities and experiences you might have never considered before. Best of all, they make the journey an essential part of the adventure. Get ready to recapture the authentic spirit of travel as you plan your next trip by land, river or sea.
It is well known that J.R.R. Tolkien published The Hobbit in 1937 and The Lord of the Rings in 1954-5. What may be less known is that he continued to write about Middle-earth in the decades that followed, right up until the years before his death in 1973. For him, Middle-earth was part of an entire world to be explored, and the writings in The Nature of Middle-earth reveal the journeys that he took as he sought to better understand his unique creation. He discusses sweeping themes as profound as Elvish immortality and reincarnation, and the Powers of the Valar, to the more earth-bound subjects of the lands and beasts of Númenor and the geography of the Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor.
Mother, said Peredur, "what are those yonder?" "They are angels, my son," said she. "By my faith," said Peredur, "I will go and become an angel with them." And Peredur went to the road, and met them. "Tell me, good soul," said Owain, "sawest thou a knight pass this way, either to-day or yesterday?" "I know not," answered he, "what a knight is."
