“Tricksy lights”:  Will-o’-the-Wisps in Folklore & J.R.R. Tolkien

Das Irrlicht, by Arnold Böcklin, 1882 Will-o’-the-wisps are little dancing lights sometimes seen on bogs and moorlands, and occasionally in forests.  Some have been reported to retreat from the viewer if followed, thus giving the impression that it was leading the viewer somewhere.  Unfortunately, because will-o’-the-wisps were often seen on bogs and marshes, people who … Continue reading “Tricksy lights”:  Will-o’-the-Wisps in Folklore & J.R.R. Tolkien

Why I Will Not Be Writing About “The Rings of Power”

Amazon has now fully released the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.  This is the first cinematic portrayal of J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology since the release of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies in 2014.  The series has unleashed a torment of reviews, both fiercely positive and … Continue reading Why I Will Not Be Writing About “The Rings of Power”

Newest Additions to My Library (and Fall Academic Plans)

I am a story-lover.  Perhaps that is obvious.  I am also a bibliophile.  Perhaps that also is obvious.  But I am a slow, discerning bibliophile.  Perhaps that is not obvious.  My library grows one book at a time.  Rarely will you see me emerge from a bookshop with more than two under my arm.  But … Continue reading Newest Additions to My Library (and Fall Academic Plans)

“Influence”:  Tolkien’s Guide to Non-Plagiarism

In glancing over the posts I have published over the last five months, it appears I have accidentally written a series on specific elements of mythology that Tolkien incorporated into his work.  No doubt there will be more of these in future (the material is vast), but I have paused to articulate how he manages … Continue reading “Influence”:  Tolkien’s Guide to Non-Plagiarism