Mallorn: The Journal of the Tolkien Society

This Ephemeral Beauty

Robert Steed — 2023-11-04

This note proposes that using a Japanese aesthetic vocabulary, partially derived from a Buddhist world-view, is a fruitful way to approach aspects of Tolkien's legendarium, especially in those parts of it where themes of beauty and time are foregrounded.

Reply to Noad's Comments on the article, "Checking the Facts"

NANCY BUNTING — 2023-11-04

In the Summer 2020, #60 issue of Mallorn (40-42), Charles Noad contributed a letter addressing the article “Checking the Facts,” which had appeared in the preceding issue of Mallorn, the Winter 2018 #59 issue. The author first learned of this letter when reading reviews in the 2021 Tolkien Studies in late 2021. Noad raises six objections or concerns in response to “Checking the Facts:” 1) Noad raises the significant question about what is “a real taste for fairy-stories” and when this might have occurred, though this is not an issue that either Flieger and Anderson or I discuss; 2) Noad has difficulties with the “ambiguity” between Garth/Edwards’ reading of Edith as the other party in the poem and my reading of Tolkien’s brother Hilary as the other party; 3) Noad next addresses the question of the dating of Leaf by Niggle; 4) Noad next turns to the question of Douglas Anderson not using an expected paragraph break in a quotation; 5) Noad then asks: if “the cuts to the original selection of letters were due to censorship rather than size;” 6) Noad acknowledges that the present author corrects Flieger’s mistaken statement, and adds “I’m not sure I altogether grasp the point that Dr. is trying to make here.”

The author responds and clarifies possible misunderstandings and confusions that underlie each of Noad’s six concerns.

“All that glisters is not gold”: The Ring of Power and the Deception of Simile

Sara Brown — 2023-11-04

Tolkien's Ring of Power resonates throughout 'The Lord of the Rings'; indeed, its presence is felt even when it is not explicitly 'on stage'. Tolkien presents the Ring as cunning and manipulative, luring its victims both with the false promises of power and the sheen of its golden beauty. It should come as no surprise, then, to discover that Tolkien was equally crafty in his depiction of this most deceptive of objects. This essay aims to show how, by carefully referring to it through description that conceals more than it clarifies, and always employing the disguise of simile, Tolkien ensures that the Ring is an object of seeming as much to the reader as it is to those it seeks to ensnare within the narrative.

Middle-earth in South Park

Nick Polk — 2023-11-04

This paper’s primary aim is to argue that the South Park Season 6 Episode 13 entitled “The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers” fits Linda Hutcheon’s definition of parody as an artform of transgression as well as operating in a way that reinforces the authority of its source material. South Park’s parody will be demonstrated through an exploration of the show’s reliance on and exaggeration of both Tolkien and Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings. Evidence to how South Park’s parody fits within the umbrella of postmodernism will be given. I will also argue that South Park’s parody – not merely as an adaptation – of The Lord of the Rings imparts dignity to Tolkien’s magnum opus by treating it in its cultural context. Finally, a case will be made that The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers creates new perspectives pertaining to Tolkien’s work as source material as well as itself, therefore reinforcing The Lord of the Ring’s importance which in turn lures audiences back to Tolkien.

Saints and Witches

Clare Moore — 2023-11-04

This article explores historic and linguistics connections to Morwen's name as entryways to analyzing her character and the role she plays in The Children of Hurin. It first examines the Cornish saint Morwenna as a possible name inspiration for Tolkien's maternal figure, and then explores linguistic connections between the names Morwen and Morgan. Then, by studying parallels between Morwen and Morgan le Fay, this paper analyzes how Morwen challenges the effectiveness of Hurin's sovereignty in Dorlomin and maintains her own personal sovereignty throughout increasingly dire circumstances.

Tolkien, Enchantment, and Loss by John Rosengrant

Mercury Natis — 2023-11-04

In Tolkien, Enchantment, and Loss, John Rosengrant applies his expertise as a practicing psychoanalyst to J.R.R. Tolkien's life and works. This analysis is done through applying a Freudian lens to both biography and bibliography. This review aims to provide future readers with an understanding of the author's main arguments, as well as provide an understanding of the author's approach for the reader more trepidatious towards a Freudian analysis.

Miranda Boto, José Maria. Law, Government, and Society in J.R.R. Tolkien's Works

Dominic Nardi — 2023-11-04

Jose Maria Miranda Boto’s Law, Government, and Society in J.R.R. Tolkien's Works is a unique contribution to this field by focusing narrowly on law in Middle-earth. He proves that law exists in Middle-earth and that Tolkien’s stories have something meaningful to say about the tension between law and justice. The book wisely avoids trying to force comparisons between modern law and Tolkien’s fantasy world (except as a pedagogical tool in the fifth chapter), and never tries to pronounce judgment on whether or not Tolkien’s depictions of law are “realistic.” The exhaustive catalogue of references to laws in Middle-earth, especially in the second and third chapters, and the appendix on law in Tolkien’s life make this book invaluable to scholars.

Wizards Ought to Know Better:

Laura Zanetti — 2023-11-04

The Gallant Edith Bratt

Shaun Gunner — 2023-11-04

Letter to the Editor

Ruth Berman — 2023-11-04

Let's Talk Adaptations

Luke Shelton — 2023-11-04