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.

Which Batik Motifs Represent Specific Tolkien Characters?

Batik refers to a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to a fabric. The technique is popular in many countries, but Indonesian batik patterns are famous for their rich motifs. Batik is currently enjoying a revival in Indonesia after years of being considered old-fashioned. The word batik was first recorded in English in Encyclopedia Britannica in 1880 (spelled battik).

Batik has a unique philosophy in each of its motifs. In the past, some motifs were even considered exclusive (batik larangan = “forbidden batik”), and only certain people could wear them. This often makes me wonder: if Tolkien characters wore batik in their daily life, what kind of motif that will suit them? Here’s my simple take on them.

Tolkien, Walrus, dan Kamus Oxford

Gambar: Pixabay

“Bekerja di sana selama dua tahun memberiku lebih banyak ilmu dibanding periode lain dalam hidupku”, ujar J. R. R. Tolkien suatu ketika, menggambarkan pengalamannya bekerja sebagai asisten Henry Bradley, editor penyusun Oxford English Dictionary selama tahun 1919 dan 1920. Kesan positif ini tidak berlebihan, mengingat Tolkien adalah seorang peminat bahasa. Pekerjaan menyusun kamus Oxford ini pun diperolehnya segera setelah dirinya ditarik dari medan Perang Dunia Pertama, sehingga wajar jika dirinya merasa sangat bahagia bisa kembali ke bahasa dan buku-buku setelah menghadapi kengerian medan perang.

Dari Blog ke Seminar: Kisah Artikel yang “Terbang” ke Leeds

Tanggal 1 Juli 2018, artikel saya yang berjudul The Names of Túrin Turambar and “Spiritual Burden” Concept in Javanese Naming Philosophy dibacakan di ajang Tolkien Society Seminar 2018 yang berlangsung di Leeds. Saya bilang “dibacakan” karena memang saya tidak ada di sana untuk mempresentasikannya sendiri, sehingga otomatis menjadikan saya sebagai satu-satunya peserta yang tidak bisa foto bareng sambil pamer kartu peserta dan latar belakang logo Tolkien Society, dan tentunya…tidak mendapat jatah konsumsi (*garuk tanah*).

My superpower: invisibility

Nelson Goering, ketiga dari kanan (di belakang), membawakan makalah saya

Sumber

Lalu, bagaimana ceritanya tulisan yang asalnya dari postingan blog singkat itu bisa terbang meninggalkan pemiliknya di Kalimantan Timur untuk eksis di Leeds?

Berikut ceritanya.

Ada Apa di Pameran “Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth”?

Bodleian Libraries, yang merupakan bagian dari Universitas Oxford, saat ini sedang mengadakan pameran bertajuk Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth. Pameran yang berlangsung dari tanggal 1 Juni hingga 28 Oktober 2018 ini menampilkan berbagai arsip terkait karya-karya Tolkien, termasuk benda-benda peninggalan seperti potongan manuskrip, ilustrasi, dan karya seni. 

What It Means to Read “Roverandom” after My Grandmother’s Death

A week ago, after suffering from years of chronic illness, my grandmother finally passed away.