Has Everything Been Said?
Many essayists, amateur and professional, have written about J.R.R. Tolkien through the years. But has everything been said that can be said? Maybe not. After all, many arguments have yet to be settled. Since no one seems to be able to satisfy all sides on the debates, maybe we'll see newer arguments over the years that will help change minds.
But as new books come out (such as The History of The Hobbit and The Children of Hurin, people should still have plenty of details to argue over for years to come.
What makes a good Tolkien essay
Isn't it neat when you discover an essay that makes you say, "Hey, I never thought of that"? The best Tolkien essays look at ideas in new ways. They don't just rehash all the old traditions. Look for people who challenge the standard assumptions. And look for essays that are well presented. They should not be afraid to confront the facts that don't fit their theories.
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J.R.R. Tolkien Essays
- Tolkien Essays at Middle-earth Role-Playing.com.
MERP is one of the best and biggest fan sites around the Internet for all things J.R.R. Tolkien.
- Tolkien Essays at Lord of the Rings Online Source (LotroSource)
This great site includes tons of essays, including the exclusive Belt Buckle of Truth, a humorous essay by Michael Martinez about role-playing in a Tolkien world.
- Tolkien Essays at Annals of the Nine Realms
A site not so well-known for its Tolkien content, but maybe it's time people gave it a little more attention.
- Tolkien Essays by Ansereg
Interesting topics, but some mature subject matter is handled. Parental consideration is advisable.
- Tolkien Essays by Stan McDaniel
McDaniel focuses on linguistics and philology, especially with respect for The Hobbit.
- Tolkien Essays by Tolkienics
Tolkienics is concerned with linguistics and societies in The Lord of the Rings and Middle-earth in general. Very interesting site.
- Tolkien Essays from Ardanolë
Ardanolë means "lore of Arda" or, in some contexts, "study of Arda". Not many collections yet but the topics look interesting.
- Tolkien Essays by Finduilas
Finduilas is one of the most notable Tolkien essayists on the Internet.
- Tolkien Essays by Eugene Hargrove
Eugene Hargrove is a professor of philosophy who has devoted much time to studying the music and poetry of Middle-earth.
- Tolkien Essays at Suite101
Suite101 was, for a while, the best place to find great Tolkien essays on the Internet. Seems to be dead now, but it still has an archive.
- Tolkien Essays at InfoPlease
Looks like they may be selling some "premium" content, but at least a few of the essays seem to be free. The timeline looks interesting, too.
- Tolkien Essays by SciFi Stuff
SciFi Stuff has collected several essays about Tolkien, Middle-earth, and Balrogs! for your enjoyment.
- Tolkien Essays at Infinites.Net
This great site talks about Tolkien's various mythologies, going all the way back to the mythology for England (The Book of Lost Tales).
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