Welcome to SPACE, our adult continuing education program which offers interactive monthly courses for personal enrichment! Learn more here.
Being Scheduled
Discussion-based
Medium intensity
Days and Times
As soon as we obtain enough interest in this class we will be in touch to work out a meeting time that works for the group. Thank you for keeping your January 2027 availability up to date!
This class needs more pre-enrollment by December 1 to get confirmed.
This module is a standing candidate which means it will be ready to launch as soon as it gets enough interest. Token holders can set aside a Token to reserve their seat for class and help it get confirmed.
Typological motifs are a prominent feature of Tolkien's legendarium, including the motif of marriage and romance. Marital relationships appear among the Ainur (both Valar and Maiar) and the Children of Ilúvatar (both Elves and Men): some happy, some tragic, and some in-between. Tolkien's stories of marriage and romance represent a kind of "wisdom tradition" with relevant applicability to modern society and modern relationships. Most notably, men are always the ones who "marry up" in Tolkien's world, demonstrating a profound respect for women and femininity in society.
Course Outline:
Course Outline:
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Week One
- Introduction to Marriage & Romance in Tolkien
- Typological motifs –– Manwë, Varda, & Melkor (The Silmarillion)
- Ainur Marriage and Non-Marriage (The Silmarillion)
- Introduction to Marriage & Romance in Tolkien
- Elf=Maia Marriage –– Thingol & Melian (The Silmarillion)
- Man=Elf Marriage –– Beren & Lúthien (The Silmarillion)
- Tragic Marriage –– Túrin & Finduilas Nienor (The Silmarillion)
- Heroic Marriage –– Tuor & Idril (The Silmarillion)
- Elf=Maia Marriage –– Thingol & Melian (The Silmarillion)
- Half-Elven Marriage –– Eärendil & Elwing (The Silmarillion)
- Human Marriage –– Aldarion & Erendis (Unfinished Tales)
- Man=Elf Marriage –– Aragorn & Arwen (The Lord of the Rings)
- Elf=Maia Marriage –– Thingol & Melian (The Silmarillion)
- Man=Woman Marriage –– Faramir & Éowyn (The Lord of the Rings)
- Human Marriage –– Aldarion & Erendis (Unfinished Tales)
Required Texts
The following books by JRR Tolkien are required: The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, and The Lord of the Rings.
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