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A Module in The Poetic Corpus of J.R.R. Tolkien: Tolkien's Collected Poems
(The Years 1910-1967 in Three Volumes)
• Non-Sequential Series
Mixed Lecture/Discussion
•
Medium intensity
Module Description from Dr. Sara Brown (Lecturing Preceptor):
JRR Tolkien is one of those rare authors whose poetry is as accomplished as his prose writing. Up to this point, though, those who wished to focus primarily on Tolkien’s poetry had to access a significant number of books and online resources to do so, as they were scattered far and wide. Now, a Most Delightful Event has occurred – for the first time, a collected volume of Tolkien’s poetry is available, and it is a Tome of Significant Size!
In this hybrid course, we will read and discuss a selection of these poems, enjoying them for their aesthetic appeal as well as analysing them for Tolkien’s style, use of language, and the poetic forms he employed. This is a hybrid course, in which one class per week will be a lecture and the second class will be group discussion.
There are so many poems in these volumes that the intention is to spread the course over several months. If you can’t make one or more of the months, feel free to dip in and out as suits you!
I am also delighted to announce that one lecture session per month will be led by the one and only James Tauber, who will focus on language and the formal elements of the poetry.
Bonus Lecture from Dr. Olsen each month! We are delighted to announce that each month Dr. Corey Olsen will offer a bonus lecture on Tolkien's poetry. Each month the SPACE team will share Dr. Olsen's bonus lecture with all enrolled students that month in The Poetic Corpus of J. R. R. Tolkien series.
The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
JRR Tolkien is one of those rare authors whose poetry is as accomplished as his prose writing. Up to this point, though, those who wished to focus primarily on Tolkien’s poetry had to access a significant number of books and online resources to do so, as they were scattered far and wide. Now, a Most Delightful Event has occurred – for the first time, a collected volume of Tolkien’s poetry is available, and it is a Tome of Significant Size!
In this hybrid course, we will read and discuss a selection of these poems, enjoying them for their aesthetic appeal as well as analysing them for Tolkien’s style, use of language, and the poetic forms he employed. This is a hybrid course, in which one class per week will be a lecture and the second class will be group discussion.
There are so many poems in these volumes that the intention is to spread the course over several months. If you can’t make one or more of the months, feel free to dip in and out as suits you!
I am also delighted to announce that one lecture session per month will be led by the one and only James Tauber, who will focus on language and the formal elements of the poetry.
Bonus Lecture from Dr. Olsen each month! We are delighted to announce that each month Dr. Corey Olsen will offer a bonus lecture on Tolkien's poetry. Each month the SPACE team will share Dr. Olsen's bonus lecture with all enrolled students that month in The Poetic Corpus of J. R. R. Tolkien series.
The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:
| Outline | 8-Session Structure |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Lecture 1: You and Me and the Cottage of Lost Play · The Little House of Lost Play: Mar Vanwa Tyaliéva |
| Discussion 1: Courage Speaks to a Child of Earth · The Two Riders/ May Day in a Backward Year · May-Day/ / Princess Nî · The Princess Ní · Princess Mee | |
| Week 2 | Lecture 2: Tinfang Warble and Goblin Feet |
| Discussion 2: The Happy Mariners · Tha Eadigan Saelidan: The Happy Mariners/ Empty Chapel/ Kortirion among the Trees · The Trees of Kortirion | |
| Week 3 | Lecture 3: James Tauber Lecture - The Shores of Faery and Kôr: In a City Lost and Dead · The City of the Gods |
| Discussion 3: The Pines of Aryador · A Song of Aryador/ The Pool of the Dead Year · The Pool of Forgetfulness/ Dark Are the Clouds about the North/ The Lonely Harebell · Elfalone | |
| Week 4 | Lecture 4: The Trumpet of Faery · The Trumpets of Faery · The Horns of the Host of Doriath |
| Discussion 4: Narqelion/ Over Old Hills and Far Away/ The Wanderer’s Allegiance · The Sorrowful City · The Town of Dreams and the City of Present Sorrow · Wínsele Wéste, Windge Reste Réte Berofene · The Song of Eriol |
Required Texts
A copy of The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien: Three-Volume Box Set, edited by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond will be required either as hard copy or as e-book.
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December 2024
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