In Time for Hobbit Day, Talking about Tolkien

Not only does September 22 (often) mark the Autumnal Equinox (the first day of astronomical fall) in the Northern Hemisphere, but across Middle-earth it is also the birthday of those two most excellent of hobbits, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. 

In honor of this annual celebration of all things Tolkien, I am linking here videos I made during and after the pandemic. Some are back-ups for virtual conferences, others are, well, I will let them speak for themselves. They are presented in no particular order, and with a brief description.

"Monstrous (Im)mortality: Ecocriticism in 'Akallabeth'.'" - This is a back-up taped copy of my on-ground paper delivered at the Summer 2023 Tolkien Seminar on the Second Age at Leeds. I think the title says it all.  https://mediaspace.ccsu.edu/media/Monstrous+Immortality/1_ftbgmsfs 

“'Pearls’ of Pearl: Medieval Appropriations in Tolkien’s Mythology.”  - This is a back-up taped copy of my paper delivered at the International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds, UK, in 2022. In this paper I draw connections between the medieval poem "Pearl" and Tolkien's tales of Earendil and Elwing. https://mediaspace.ccsu.edu/media/Pearl+-+narrated/1_174r4plf 

“Beware Melkors Bearing Gifts: The ‘Tale of Adanel’ as Gothic Fiction.” This is a back-up taped copy of my on-ground paper delivered at the Tolkien Society Seminar 2022: Tolkien and the Gothic, Leeds, UK. "The Tale of Adenel" is Tolkien's story of the fall of humanity in Middle-earth, and is buried in the commentary to another essay in Morgoth's Ring.  https://mediaspace.ccsu.edu/media/Beware+Melkors+Bearing+Gifts+-+narrated.mp4/1_r06z6l8g

“The Problematic Perimeters of Elrond Half-elven and Ronald English-Catholic.” Tolkien Society Summer Seminar, virtual presentation, July 3, 2021. In this paper I argue that Elrond is the Middle-earth character that has the most in common with his creator, https://mediaspace.ccsu.edu/media/ElrondLeeds+backup/1_p4m3w0l8 

"Cynewulf, Copernicus, and Conjunctions: The Problems of Cytherean Motions in Tolkien’s Medieval Cosmology." I was bored and made a recording of a paper I had previously given at the 2019 International Congress on Medieval Studies in Kalamazoo. This paper is all about the apparent motions of Earendil/Venus in the real and fictional skies. https://mediaspace.ccsu.edu/media/Cynewulf%2C+Copernicus%2C+and+ConjunctionsA+The+Problems+of+Cytherean+Motions+in+Tolkien%E2%80%99s+Medieval+Cosmology/1_5qw9i6bm 

"Morgoth's Ring and the Fantastical Formation of the Moon." A reading from Morgoth's Ring for International Tolkien Reading Day 2020 and an astronomy lesson :) https://mediaspace.ccsu.edu/media/International+Tolkien+Reading+Day+2020A+Morgoth%27s+Ring+and+the+Fantastical+Formation+of+the+Moon/1_xs78eft7

"Crowns and Crowds: The Importance of the Bodleian's Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth Exhibition in (Potentially) Solving an Astronomical Mystery." I got bored again and taped a version of my April 2019 Popular Culture Association paper, in which I discuss an idea for what constellation is represented by the crown of Durin. https://mediaspace.ccsu.edu/media/PCA2019/1_u7jzqbuh

"Kind People!!!: The Adventures of Svetlana Snape Down the Rabbit Hole." I got REALLY board and taped an extended version of a paper I gave at the April 2016 University of Vermont Tolkien Conference. This is very much a fan studies paper, in which I analyze the infamous "Thread" of the Tolkien Society Facebook group. This one has to be experienced without spoilers. https://mediaspace.ccsu.edu/media/The+Thread/1_yi9qig6f 

"Ragnarok and the Rekindling of the Magic Sun." Another boredom project during the pandemic; I re-recorded a presentation I had given at the Tolkien Anniversaries Symposium, WMU Library, May 2017, considering Tolkien's discussion of the fate of the sun in the end times in Middle-earth.  https://mediaspace.ccsu.edu/media/urwendi/0_87c6n4b0