NOTE: Class cancelled for Tuesday; will have last class on Thursday (see below)

 I have to attend a meeting in Norman tomorrow that I can't miss, and I don't think I can get back in time for class at 12:30 (or it would be really, really close). So let's just cancel tomorrow's class and have our last class on Thursday. 

ALSO: Nichole will be presenting some of our Final Project to the class on Thursday (a requirement of her IS), so  if anyone else would like to share their work with the class, feel free to bring it to class on Thursday. I have a small agenda for Thursday, so we would have time to do both. 

Sorry for the last-minute change--see you on Thursday! 

For Thursday: Finish The Fellowship of the Ring!

 

For Thursday's class, be sure to finish (or get close!) The Fellowship of the Ring, as we'll do our last in-class response. We'll still have class next week, but only to wind down the course and suggest some future avenues to explore (either in your paper, or in your own lives/reading). 

ALSO, here is a link to some of Tolkien's own art, some for LOTR, some not, which might inspire your final project whether you decide to do art or not: https://www.themarginalian.org/2014/01/03/tolkien-artist-illustrator/

THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU READ:

* What do Sam and Frodo see in Galadriel's mirror? What might be the danger of seeing 'the future' (even though it's not guaranteed to come to pass)?

* Why doesn't Galadriel understand the word or concept of 'magic'? Why  does she point out that they use the same word to refer to her 'magic' and Sauron's spells?

* Why does Galadriel "diminish" when she refuses the Ring? What is she transforming into?

* How might the elves be essentially the same as Tom Bombadil and Beorn? Why aren't they really invested in the quest of the Ring (though they are happy to help)?

*  What gifts does Galadriel give to each of the Fellowship? What does this say about their character and fate?

* Frodo has been keeping Gollum a secret from the others; why does this prove pointless? Why does he assume that he, alone, could see him?

* What is Boromir's argument to Frodo for 'borrowing' the Ring? Is he driven more by greed or loyalty to Gondor in proposing it? Does he have a legitimate reason to distrust Frodo?

* Was Boromir possessed by the Ring, or was this his plan all along? How should we read his betrayal?

* Why does Frodo try to abandon the Company and travel alone?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

For Thursday: Chapters 4-6 (or as much as you can!)

NOTE: Don't forget about the Abstract assignment (posted below) which is due next Tuesday! Again, you don't have to have everything down-pat, but try to have a general idea of what theme you want to explore, and how you might do it. Remember, you can have fun and try to write a poem that pays homage to Tolkien's world...or you can simply write a paper that explores it. Neither one is more 'right' than the other, but try to have fun with whichever one you chose. We'll discuss this more in Tuesday's class, so if you're stuck, I bet someone else will have an idea that will unlock your creativity! 

Here are some ideas to consider for Thursday:

* Aragorn and Gandalf were arguing about which way to take, and Gandalf wanted to try the path through Moria, though Aragon was horrified by it, saying, "Say nothing to the others, I beg, not until it is plain that there is no other way." What made this such a perilous choice? Did Gandalf know what they might find down there?

* How does the Fellowship start to break in Moria (and even before)? What seems to cause it? Is there one weak link? Or is it all the fault of the Ring?

* Why might the departure of Bill be a foreshadowing of things to come? Why might this be one of the first times Sam (and the other hobbits) really come to an awareness of their quest and its desperate nature?

* When they reach the door to Moria, we get a startling surprise: a full page illustration of the door from none other than Tolkien himself! Why do you think he insisted on including this, and the runes at the end of Chapter 4? Why do you think, if he had had his way, Tolkien would have included many more such illustrations? 

* Related to the above, why might the riddle have proved so tricky to Gandalf and the rest of the party (when the answer was actually obvious)? What might this say about the end of the Third Age?

* How does Gimli's song compare/contrast to the other songs we've heard in the book? What previous works from our class might it relate to? Also, how does it compare to Legolas' song in Chapter 6?

* Why is the Balrog awake and stirring in the Mines of Moria? How might this relate to simialr events in Beowulf? What makes the Balrog a very similar creature (in appearance, as well as origin) as Grendel and/or the Dragon? 

* Why might the disappearance (death?) of Gandalf be the true undoing of the Fellowship? What does his loss mean to them, and particularly, the hobbits? 

Abstract for Final Paper Assignment (due next Tuesday, the 19th in-class)

English 4653: Abstract for Final Project (due next Tuesday in-class!)

I ain't tellin' no lie
Mine's a tale that can't be told
My freedom I hold dear
How years ago in days of old
When magic filled the air
'T was in the darkest depths of Mordor
I met a girl so fair
But Gollum, and the evil one
Crept up and slipped away with her
Her, her, yeah
Ain't nothing I can do, no
--Led Zepplin, “Ramble On” (1969)

 For your final project in the Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien class, I want you to design your own project that develops one of the following themes (below) based on important elements of The Hobbit & The Fellowship of the Ring. In doing so, you may tackle this in a number of ways: as a traditional paper, as a presentation, as a video, or even as a creative piece (a work of art, a story, a poem, etc). Your ABSTRACT should explain which theme you plan to develop, what works you will use, and why your approach will reveal something new or significant about his work. In other words, you can’t just write a poem because you like writing poetry; what can you help us ‘see’ through a poem about Tolkien’s world, etc.?

ALSO: In your abstract, you must incorporate aspects of both Tolkien works we read in class, and at least one outside ‘text’ which could be Beowulf, or another book, or a film, or a work of art, or a piece of music. This outside work should complement what you’re trying to say about Tolkien and your project should have a ‘conversation’ with it in some way. For example, a work of art might incorporate images maps from The Fellowship, or a poem could reference both lines of Tolkien’s work and the lyrics of a song (like Led Zeppelin, above), or a paper could show how Tolkien’s world developed from British Pre-Raphaelite art (The Abduction of Merlin, etc) or how it relates to a film like War Horse, 1917,  etc.

THE THEMES:

• Tolkien and Myth: why the myths and legends matter, why we need to hear about Beren and Luthien, etc., and why Tolkien isn’t just writing a novel
• Tolkien and Poetry: why the poetry matters, who else has been influenced by it, what it seems to say/express beyond the actual novel, how it tells the story (another story?)
• Tolkien and Language: why the languages matter, why we can actually learn a little Elvish, Dwarfish, etc., how they relate to old languages such as Anglo-Saxon, etc.  
• Tolkien and Travel/Maps: why the locations matter, why he allows us to see the landscape, the descriptions, the history of places
• Tolkien and Art: why the art and the descriptions matter, why Tolkien’s language is very visual, and why he insisted on creating his own art for his stories (esp. The Hobbit), how the art complements and expands the story (much the way the poetry does)
• Tolkien and History: why the times Tolkien wrote in matter, how WWI and WWII bled into his works, how allegory is actually a key feature of the story—esp. in The Fellowship

For Tuesday: Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapters 2 & 3

NOTE: See the updated chronology of the book I posted in the post below this one (unlike the handout I gave you on Thursday, this covers the entire book). Might come in handy!

ALSO, try to read through Chapter 3 (of Book 2) if you can, but be sure to especially read Chapter 2, "The Council of Elrond," since it's one of the most important chapters in the book. The ideas below pertain mostly to that chapter, since it's what I most want to discuss!

* What do we learn about Sauron through the histories of the various characters of the Council, such as Gloin and Gandalf? And how do these characters fill in some of the blanks from hints and omissions in The Hobbit?

* Why wasn't the Ring destroyed in the great battle against Sauron long ago? And according to Elrond, why does Sauron still pose a threat? ALSO: how might Isildur echo Bilbo's own decision to take the Ring, and to take the Arkenstone? 

* Related to this, what role did Saurman play in the Council's dealing with the Necromancer (from The Hobbit), and Sauron's subsequent rise to power?

* Why might much of the history of Middle Earth and Sauron suspiciously echo events prior and during the Second World War? How might Saurman, in particular, remind us of politicians who were willing to work with Hitler, while publically condemning his actions? (or those even today, who continue to work with Putin?) 

* Bilbo has a much larger role in Chapter 1 and 2 than he's had since Chapter 1 of Book 1. How does he come across in Rivendell? What is his role as the resident hobbit? Has he been cured of the Ring-curse yet? 

* Why doesn't Boromir trust or fully believe Aragorn is who he says he is? And why might it be significant that the dream of the prophecy wasn't given first to him, but to his brother? (we won't meet his brother, Faramir, until The Two Towers, which you'll have to read on your own!) 

* Also, why is Boromir reluctant to destroy the Ring? What arguments does he advance to preserve it, and why might he think the entire Council is overlooking the sacrifices of Gondor?

* Why does Frodo agree to take the Ring, when he clearly wants to be absolved of his duty as Ring-Bearer (or does he)? 

Timeline of Major Events in The Fellowship of the Ring (Complete)

This timeline complements the one I gave you in class, filling in the remaining chapters of the book. Like a map, it's sometimes useful to see how long they spend in each area and the relative briskness of their journey, which seems much longer!  

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING CHRONOLOGY 

YEAR 3001 of the THIRD AGE

Bilbo turns 111; leaves on his last adventure

YEAR 3004-3008: Gandalf visits Frodo to check on him and the Ring

YEAR 3017: Gollum searching for Bilbo, called to Mordor; captured and tortured, divulges the location of the Ring

YEAR 3018: Aragorn captures Gollum and Gandalf learns the truth about the Ring

April 12: Gandalf tells Frodo about the Ring

End of June: Gandalf leaves Hobbiton for Isengard (imprisoned July 20, escapes September 18)

September 22: Frodo’s Birthday Party

September 25: Hobbits come together in Crickhollow

September 26: The Old Forest & Old Man Willow; saved by Tom Bombadil

September 28: Captured by the Barrow-Wight; again saved by Tom Bombadil

September 29: Arrival at Bree; meet Strider

September 30: Leave Bree early in the morning for Weathertop

October 6: Attacked by the Black Riders (Ringwraiths); Frodo injured

October 18-20: Glorfindel finds the party; they escape across the Ford of Bruinen and make it to Rivendell

October 24: Arrival in Rivendell; Frodo healed; wakes up and feasts with the hobbits and Gandalf, etc.

October 25: The Council of Elrond to form the Fellowship of the Ring

December 25: The Fellowship leaves at dawn

January 11-12: Besieged by snow trying to cross Caradhras

January 13: Attacked by wolves; arrive at the Doors of Durin in Moria

January 14-15: Attacked by orcs, goblins, and trolls in Moria; Gandalf falls fighting the Balrog at the Bridge of Khazad-dum

January 17: The Fellowship arrives at Lothlorien (Caras Galadhon)

February 14: Frodo gazes into the Mirror of Galadriel

February 16: The Fellowship leaves Lothlorien; followed by Gollum

February 23-25: The Fellowship’s boats are attacked; they continue down the river past the Argonath and camp in Parth Galen

February 26: The Breaking of the Fellowship; Boromir dies defending the hobbits; Merry and Pippin are captured; Frodo and Sam head for Mordor with Gollum following them; Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli set off in pursuit of Merry and Pippin

For Thursday: Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapters 11-12 & Chapter 1 (Book 2)

Be sure to read "A Knife in the Dark," "A Flight to the Ford," and "Many Meetings" for Thursday's class. But of course, you can read as much as you want...this is just the bare minimum of what we'll cover on Thursday.

Some ideas to consider:

* As always, consider the changes from book to film: why were these things changed, do you think? This is specifically important considering how the hobbits leave Bree in the book vs. the  film

* Despite the Black Riders' terrifying power, how do they generally act in Bree, the Shire, and elsewhere? How might this be similar to the guises Strider and Tom Bombadil adopt with the hobbits?

* What do the hobbits learn in Bree that helps them realize the true peril of their quest? In other words, what is Strider aware of that is becoming increasingly obvious, even to them?

* Related to this, why might the hobbits ignorance and refusal to think of the world in anything but hobbit terms also a hidden virtue? How does it often save them in a certain sense?

* Why does Strider often discourage them from saying certain words out loud? What power does merely naming something have? Why are words just as powerful as deeds in this world?

* How do we begin to see that Sam is not exactly "half-wise" at all, but the most important member of the party? What does he know that the other hobbits don't?

* Why can't anyone truly own the Ring except Sauron? Why were Bilbo and Gollum, despite their long history with the Ring, merely Ring-Bearers?

* What is problematic about Aragorn's past which makes him a wild-card in this mission? Why don't other people, esp. Boromir, completely trust him? Related to this, why does Gandalf trust him completely?

* What realities of Middle Earth politics do we learn about in Rivendell? Why is it no easy task to organize a group to destroy the Ring?