“Something Has Gone Crack”: the Great War and Tolkien, from Multiple Perspectives (Review)

“Tolkien’s major achievement, one could argue, was in fact to create a new-style image of heroism for an uncertain and dispirited age.”

Shippey and Bourney: A Steep Learning Curve: Tolkien and the British Army on the Somme

World War One left its mark in Tolkien’s works as the source of motifs and imagery, like philosophical and historical themes, contemplation on death and destructions, and reflection on relationships between people of different roles and groups. Additionally, the elements of personal experiences and daily observations helped bridging the gap between the image of the Great War and the realities of being in one. In Something Has Gone Crack: New Perspectives on J.R.R. Tolkien in the Great War (2019), notable contributors in Tolkien studies provide sixteen essays exploring different perspectives regarding of war and its effects on Tolkien’s works and personal life.

Ode to the Horses: Tolkien Reading Day 2023 (2)

A single soldier on his horse, during a cavalry patrol in World War I. From The Atlantic, courtesy of the National Library of Scotland

Horses and ponies appeared frequently in Middle-earth legendarium, and just like in any fantasy world or real world, characters could not achieve their goals without their presence. However, despite the fact that they were among the most important native animals of Middle-earth, horses here were mostly mentioned as means for the characters to reach their destinations. Even with the frequent mentions of notable horses and their deeds inform us that Tolkien had great appreciation toward these creatures beyond seeing them as beasts to ride.

Sorrowful Love, Hopeful Love (Tolkien Reading Day 2022)

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“For long years he (Amroth) had loved her, and taken no wife, since she would not wed with him. She loved him indeed, for he was beautiful even for one of the Eldar, and valiant and wise; but she was of the Silvan elves, and regretted the incoming of the Elves from the West, who (as she said) brought wars and destroyed the peace of old. She would speak only the Silvan tongue, even after it had fallen into disuse among the folk of Lorien; and she dwelt alone beside the falls of the river Nimrodel to which she gave her name.”

Unfinished Tales Part 2, Ch. 4: The History of Galadriel and Celeborn and of Amroth King of Lorien

Great love stories are tinged with sorrow. That’s one thing to notice when you read about the stories of lovers in Middle-earth legendarium. Even the legendary love tales, like between Beren and Lúthien, have this bittersweet quality that seeps into your heart, long after the story is supposed to end at the blissful “happily ever after”. Dig deeper into Tolkien’s “love stories”, and you will see characters languishing because of the lack of love, displaying the twisted form of “love”, or losing their loved ones. Many couples had their love unrequited, nipped at the bud, turned sour, or doomed.

The Worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien: Inspirasi Middle-earth di Dunia Nyata (Ulasan Buku)

The Worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien: The Places That Inspired Middle-earth (Princeton University Press, 2020). Koleksi pribadi. Gambar sampul oleh Flo Snook

“Banyak pembaca sepertinya mengira Middle-earth berada di planet lain!”

The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, surat nomor 11, 14 Oktober 1958

John Garth mengawali bab pembuka The Worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien dengan kutipan surat Tolkien untuk Rhona Beare, tertanggal 14 Oktober 1958. Kutipan tersebut hanya awal dari penjelasan panjang tentang asal-usul kata Middle-earth; versi modern atau perubahan dari kata dalam bahasa kuno yang merujuk ke dunia yang dihuni Manusia. Menurutnya, kata middle (“tengah”) merujuk pada pemikiran bahwa dunia tersebut dikelilingi oleh Lautan, diapit negeri es di Utara dan api di Selatan. Dalam surat tersebut, Tolkien juga menambahkan kata Inggris Kuno dan Abad Pertengahan (middan-geard dan midden-erd), menegaskan bahwa Middle-earth terinspirasi oleh dunia nyata.

The Worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien: Explore the Real Places That Inspired Middle-earth (Review)

The Worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien: The Places That Inspired Middle-earth (Princeton University Press, 2020). Cover art by Flo Snook

“Many reviewers seem to assume that Middle-earth is another planet!”

The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien: Letter 211, 14 October 1958

John Garth aptly started the Introduction chapter of The Worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien with a quote from Tolkien’s letter to Rhona Beare, written on 14 October 1958. This line followed Tolkien’s explanation about the origin of Middle-earth; a modernization or alteration of an old word for the inhabited world of Men. The world “middle”, according to the same letter, is because the world is thought of vaguely as set amidst the encircling Seas between ice of the North and the fire of the South. Tolkien also added the Old English and Medieval English versions of the word “middle” (middan-geard, midden-erd), further emphasizing his notion that Middle-earth is based on his own world.

On Tolkien’s Quaint Poem about a Sleeping Cat

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“I fear that to me Siamese cats belong to the fauna of Mordor….”

Tolkien’s letter to Allen & Unwin, 16 October 1959 (Letter 219)

The above quote from Tolkien’s reply to a cat breeder, who was looking for a name for her Siamese cat, seems to indicate Tolkien’s general attitude toward cats. While he never explicitly stated an actual disdain against cats, the way he treated felines in Middle-earth legendarium seems to indicate otherwise. One can only look at his early version of Sauron, who he dubbed “Tevildo, the Prince of Cats.” Described as an evil fay with a gold collar that becomes the source of his power, his name is said to be derived from tefe, a Quenya root which means “hate/hatred.” In The Tale of Tinúviel, one of the early versions of the story of Beren and Lúthien, Beren was forced to work in Tevildo’s kitchen by Melkor. Tevildo is also assisted by several other evil cats: Oikeroi, Umuiyan, and Miaulë. Queen Berúthiel and her cats are also depicted in sinister way, associated with winter, shapeless eerie statues, bleakness, and fear.

Review: Laughter in Middle-earth: Humour in and Around the Works of J. R. R. Tolkien

Anyone without the slightest idea of how J. R. R. Tolkien was like in real life perhaps would assume that he was a stiff, serious professor-type; well-read and charming enough, but not exactly a humorous one, judging from his photos. This, of course, was a wrong assessment, since Tolkien was known for being quite a jolly figure, fond of laughter and even silly jokes. This was a person who threw sugar cubes to people’s hats from teahouse balconies with his date, went to parties dressed as a polar bear, and irritated his neighbors by dressing up as Anglo-Saxon warrior and chased them down the street.

The Perilous Procession (2): Beware the Paths of the Dead and the Night Marchers

In the previous post, I talked about the popular image of trooping “fairies” (Elves) present in Tolkien’s works and their adaptations, and how they show parallel with various beliefs toward supernatural processions in various cultures. The second part of the post will talk about similar concept, but with different nature.

The Paths of the Dead, by Darrell Sweet

When it comes to supernatural procession images in Tolkien legendarium, the ghosts in the Paths of the Dead definitely takes a special spotlight. Unlike the ethereal or majestic imagery of fairy/Elven procession, which were translated as such in the movie adaptations, the Dead Men are the source of fear in Tolkien’s lore. Supernatural Elven procession is a source of awe and wonder due to its intense visual imagery, but the ghosts that haunt the Paths of the Dead invoke nothing but terror.

Pagebluk Middle-earth: Gambaran Wabah Besar dalam Legendarium Tolkien

Gambaran realistis tentang peradaban dalam legendarium Middle-earth mencakup berbagai aspek yang bisa kita temukan dalam sejarah dunia nyata, termasuk peristiwa penyebaran wabah. J. R. R. Tolkien menulis tentang Wabah Besar Middle-earth (The Great Plague of Middle-earth) sebagai catatan sejarah dalam apendiks di The Lord of the Rings, namun dengan dampak yang cukup besar dalam sejarah Manusia dan Hobbit, dua kaum yang paling terdampak peristiwa ini.

Walau berdampak besar, Tolkien tidak terlalu banyak menyuguhkan detail dalam catatan sejarah yang (seharusnya) penting ini. Akan tetapi, kita bisa menarik paralelnya dengan beberapa aspek dalam Wabah Maut Hitam (Black Death) Eropa yang terjadi pada Abad Pertengahan, serta pengaruh sosial, filosofis, dan artistik yang menjadi dampaknya.

Ulmo dan Maknanya Menjadi Penguasa Air

The Wrath of Ulmo, oleh Ralph Damiani

Dalam artikel sebelumnya, saya membahas laut secara spesifik terkait domain spesifik dari Ossë dan Uinen, makhluk spiritual tingkat rendah (Maiar) yang mewakili dua sifat laut yang saling berlawanan. Akan tetapi, jika dibandingkan dengan Ulmo, keduanya hanya mewakili sebagian kecil dari kekuatan air yang terkandung dalam dunia Tolkien. Melihat keterlibatan Ulmo dalam banyak peristiwa di Middle-earth, bahkan melebihi keterlibatan langsung Valar lain, menarik melihat apa makna sebenarnya menjadi “penguasa air” dalam legendarium Tolkien.