Tolkien, Allegory, and Applicability: Freedom of the Reader Is Not License to Reinterpret
I’ve noticed that many people, when trying to justify their opinions about Tolkien’s works, resort to his statement about preferring “applicability,” which lies in the freedom of the individual reader, to allegory, which is the purposed domination of the author. But does Tolkien’s statement really give us freewheeling license to interpret his work however we want? For my video on authorial intent vs. death of the author, a distinction which actually is relevant to justifying broad interpretive license, check here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n49foLSWx50 Other Links: Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
6 Juni 202229min
Upcoming Changes to Patreon and the Future of the Channel
Just a quick update on some new things I’ll be doing and how I’m updating my Patreon benefits. Other Links: Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
1 Juni 20229min
Who in Middle-Earth Could Effectively Wield the One Ring?
We often take for granted that Sauron’s Ring is a magical item of great power, but can just anyone use it? What could it be used for? These are questions I will address with varying degrees of certainty in this video. Other Links: Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
30 Maj 202231min
How Sauron and "Leaf by Niggle" Teach Us More About Melkor and Manwe
Recently, GirlNextGondor (https://www.youtube.com/c/GirlNextGondor) had TheRedBook (https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRedBook) on (video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UPCU25TaV0) to discuss Morgoth, and in the process sparked a seemingly crazy thought in my own head that in a weird way, Sauron is parallel to Manwe via his relationship to Melkor--let me explain. Other Links: Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
23 Maj 202220min
Why Couldn’t the One Ring Be Taken to Valinor?
At the Council of Elrond, Glorfindel suggests taking the Ring over the Sea as an option, but this gets shot down pretty quickly and with good reason. Other Links: Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
16 Maj 202220min
Why Did Gandalf Fear Sauron If They’re Both Maiar?
It might seem strange that two beings of the same created "order" would have extremely different power levels, but there are at least four reasons why one Maia (Sauron) might be more powerful than another (say, Gandalf). For more on the "Morgoth's Ring" concept, check out The Red Book's great video on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eVGGmVMpc8 He also has his own video on essentially this topic, though with a broader focus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoVzNMDQ3mE Other Links: Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
9 Maj 202221min
Which of Tolkien's Stories Are Part of the the Middle-Earth “Canon?”
The question of what counts as "canon" in Tolkien's Middle-earth writings is thorny and convoluted, and devolves pretty quickly into guesswork, but let's see if we can narrow things down a bit. Hello Future Me's video on the unreliable narrator is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P-brBxPFJk For my video on the Hobbit retcon, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIbXfJ72j4c And for the translation conceit, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhyQ1pzDDLQ Other Links: Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
2 Maj 202230min
Anglachel/Gurthang and Narsil/Anduril: Twin Sword Brothers from Different Mothers
Anglachel, the black sword of Turin which he renamed Gurthang, has many interesting parallels with Narsil, the Sword that was Broken and renamed Anduril by Aragorn, but despite their parallels they are in many ways opposites. You should check out The Clueless Fangirl on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvucCKVHa7m2VzerpMwJPeA Her Twitter is @HelenaLahnstein, and Tony Meade’s is @tonymeade. For my video on who really killed Sauron (and why it matters), click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp2OMqRdjcU And for a dangerous example of psychoanalysis, check my video on father figures in Tolkien’s fiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ero5UFOtOJg Other Links: Rumble at https://rumble.com/c/c-355195 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TolkienLore:f Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrrtlore Patreon: www.patreon.com/tolkiengeek
25 Apr 202228min
