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tolkien

# Episode Title Description People Date
1 The ‘Key-spring’ of The Lord of the Rings? Stuart Lee talks on 'The ‘Key-spring’ of The Lord of the Rings?' Stuart Lee 01 Mar 2025
2 C.S. Lewis’s Influence on The Lord of the Rings Michael Ward talks on 'C.S. Lewis’s Influence on The Lord of the Rings' Michael Ward 01 Mar 2025
3 Medievalism in the Margins: Echoes of Anglo-Saxon England in Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings – From Page to Screen Grace Khuri talks on 'Medievalism in the Margins: Echoes of Anglo-Saxon England in Appendix A of 'The Lord of the Rings' – From Page to Screen' Grace Khuri 01 Mar 2025
4 A Harmless Vice: Tolkien’s Invented Languages Mark Williams talks on 'A Harmless Vice: Tolkien’s Invented Languages' Mark Williams 01 Mar 2025
5 The authors and styles of 'The Lord of the Rings' Giuseppe Pezzini talks on 'The authors and styles of The Lord of the Rings' Giuseppe Pezzini 01 Mar 2025
6 J. R. R. Tolkien and G. B. Smith: Two Forgotten War Poets? Stuart Lee talks about Tolkien's recently published war poetry in the context of G. B. Smith. Stuart Lee 01 Mar 2025
7 Tolkien as Interpreter and Transformer of Culture: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings' as a Modern Book Holly Ordway presents on 'Tolkien as Interpreter and Transformer of Culture'. Holly Ordway 01 Mar 2025
8 J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Philologist A talk by Professor Simon Horobin on Tolkien's long-standing career and interest in philology as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. Simon Horobin 11 Dec 2023
9 Tolkien and Beowulf A talk by Dr Laura Varnam on Tolkien's long engagement with the Old English poem 'Beowulf' as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. Laura Varnam 11 Dec 2023
10 A Heroic History of the Elves: Tolkien’s “lost” Mythology of England? A talk by PhD candidate Grace Khuri, University of Oxford, on Tolkien's Elvish history and English 'mythology', as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. Grace Khuri 11 Dec 2023
11 Tolkien and the Classics A talk by Professor Giuseppe Pezzini on the influences of Classical Literature on Tolkien. [Audio only] Giuseppe Pezzini 11 Dec 2023
12 How to write 'The Lord of the Rings' A lecture by Dr S Lee as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. Stuart Lee 08 Dec 2023
13 Edward Lear and Fantasy Jasmine Jagger provides a short introduction to Edward Lear. Jasmine Jagger 18 Jul 2021
14 Desiring Dragons: Creative and Critical Responses to the Dragon in Beowulf Laura Varnam discusses dragons in fantasy literature. Laura Varnam 06 Jul 2021
15 What is the 'Silmarillion'? This lecture is an introduction to J.R.R. Tolkien's third major work, 'The Silmarillion' (1977), and considers its lengthy development in numerous prose and verse texts over fifty years. Grace Khuri 19 Apr 2021
16 What Tolkien learnt from 'Beowulf': Representations of Evil Monsters and evil in Tolkien Rafael J. Pascual 16 Jul 2020
17 Mythopoeia: myth-creation and Middle-earth A celebration of Tolkien and his creations, with special guests Dame Marina Warner, Prof Verlyn Flieger and Dr Dimitra Fimi. Marina Warner, Verlyn Flieger, Dimitra Fimi 25 Jan 2019
18 Damned if he Does and Damned if he Doesn't? Dilemmas and Decisions in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Simon Armitage lectures on the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Simon Armitage 23 Nov 2018
19 Old Norse Eleanor Parker, Lecturer in Medieval English Literature, Brasenose College, Oxford, gives the fifth and final talk in the Tolkien: The Maker of Middle Earth lecture series. This lecture focuses on Tolkien and old norse. Eleanor Parker 31 Oct 2018
20 Old English Mark Atherton, Senior Lecturer in English, Regent's Park College, Oxford, gives the fourth talk in the Tolkien: The Maker of Middle Earth lecture series. This lecture focuses on Tolkien and old english. Mark Atherton 31 Oct 2018
21 Gothic Elizabeth Solopova, Lecturer in English Literature, Christ Church, Oxford. Tolkien wrote that he was 'fascinated' with the 'beautiful' Gothic language that he started to study at school, and his literary works attest to this interest. Elizabeth Solopova 31 Oct 2018
22 Medieval Welsh Tolkien once termed Welsh 'the elder language of the men of Britain'; this talk explores how the sounds and grammar of Welsh captured Tolkien's imagination and are reflected in Sindarin, one of the two major Elvish languages which he created. Mark Williams (English Faculty) 31 Oct 2018
23 Middle English This lecture is on Tolkien and middle english. Professor Carolyne Larrington, Tutorial Fellow in English Literature, St John's College, Oxford gives the first talk in the Tolkien: The Maker of Middle Earth lecture series. Carolyne Larrington 31 Oct 2018
24 Tolkien's turning point: Tolkien and the history of tongues Tom Shippey's lecture will move from the detail to the (eventual) design of Tolkien's languages, and even the philosophical issues embedded in Tolkien's fiction. Tom Shippey 19 Sep 2018
25 Creative Commons Middle Earth and Tolkien's Digital Afterlives Stuart Lee traces how Tolkien's Middle-earth and especially 'The Lord of the Rings' have been reimagined through a range of digital technologies, from games to films Stuart Lee 04 Mar 2016
26 Creative Commons The Stories of Lewis Carroll, J.R.R. Tolkien and Philip Pullman Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, Stuart Lee and Margaret Kean explore the digital afterlives of these celebrated storytellers Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, Stuart Lee, Margaret Kean 04 Mar 2016
27 The Lord of the Rings: Tolkien's Legacy 60 years since the publication of the series' final volume, a distinguished panel explore Tolkien's literary legacy. Elleke Boehmer, Stuart Lee, Patrick Curry, Dimitra Fimi 16 Nov 2015
28 The Lord of the Rings: Tolkien's Legacy 60 years since the publication of the series' final volume, a distinguished panel explore Tolkien's literary legacy Elleke Boehmer, Stuart Lee, Patrick Curry, Dimitra Fimi 09 Nov 2015
29 Creative Commons Writing The Hobbit: a perilous quest In this talk Stuart Lee will look at the various texts we may call The Hobbit. Starting with the 1937 edition (on display) he will look at the changes enforced on Tolkien after he had finished The Lord of the Rings and how he coped with these. Stuart Lee 03 Jun 2015
30 100 years on, how Tolkien came to the brink of Middle-earth A talk given at a day-long symposium that focused on different aspects of JRR Tolkien's academic and literary work, and his life in Oxford. The talk is based on a paper published in 'Tolkien Studies 11' (West Virginia University Press: 2014). John Garth 27 Mar 2015
31 'Tolkien in Oxford', BBC 1968 A discussion between Dr Stuart Lee and film & TV director Leslie Megahey on the BBC's 1968 documentary, 'Tolkien in Oxford', given at a day-long symposium that focused on different aspects of Tolkien's academic and literary work and life in Oxford. Stuart Lee, Leslie Megahey 01 Dec 2014
32 Creative Commons "Wan, dim, and pale": the OED and Tolkien A talk by Edmund Weiner, given at 'Tolkien in Oxford', a day-long symposium that focused on different aspects of JRR Tolkien's academic and literary work, and his life in Oxford. Edmund Weiner 01 Dec 2014
33 Medieval Romance and the Gift of Narrative Dr Perkins gives a talk for the 2013 Oxford Alumni Weekend. Nicholas Perkins 14 Oct 2013
34 The Hobbit at the Bodleian: World Book Day 2010 Judith Priestman, curator of literary manuscripts at the Bodleian library, discusses the World Book Day 2010 Tolkien exhibition, at which a selection of J.R.R. Tolkien's original artwork for The Hobbit, was on display to the public. Judith Priestman 22 May 2013
35 10. The black pine Hear about JRR Tolkiens favourite tree! Timothy Walker 28 May 2012
36 Tolkien's Languages These lectures cover an introduction to J R R Tolkien's career, show how medieval literature influenced his fiction, and consider the wider scheme Tolkien worked on linking his mythology to historical and other mythical events. Elizabeth Solopova 21 Mar 2011
37 Tolkien and Medieval Literature These lectures cover an introduction to J R R Tolkien's career, show how medieval literature influenced his fiction, and consider the wider scheme Tolkien worked on linking his mythology to historical and other mythical events. Elizabeth Solopova 21 Mar 2011
38 J R R Tolkien 'Beyond the Shoreless Sea' These lectures cover an introduction to J R R Tolkien's career, show how medieval literature influenced his fiction, and consider the wider scheme Tolkien worked on linking his mythology to historical and other mythical events. Stuart Lee 21 Mar 2011
39 J R R Tolkien: Medievalist and Mythmaker These lectures cover an introduction to J R R Tolkien's career, show how medieval literature influenced his fiction, and consider the wider scheme Tolkien worked on linking his mythology to historical and other mythical events. Stuart Lee 21 Mar 2011
40 Creative Commons The Hobbit at the Bodleian: World Book Day Judith Priestman, curator of the Bodleian library, discusses the World Book Day 2010 exhibition, where a selection of J.R.R. Tolkien's original artwork which was used to illustrate The Hobbit, was on display to the public. Judith Priestman 13 Apr 2010
41 Creative Commons The Hobbit at the Bodleian: World Book Day Judith Priestman, curator of the Bodleian library, discusses the World Book Day 2010 exhibition, where a selection of J.R.R. Tolkien's original artwork which was used to illustrate The Hobbit, was on display to the public. Judith Priestman 13 Apr 2010
42 Talking Tolkien: The influences of Medieval Literature on the Fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien Stuart Lee and Elizabeth Solopova discuss the influences of medieval literature on the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien. Stuart Lee, Elizabeth Solopova, Tara Mulholland 25 Mar 2010
43 Tolkien and Languages: Ancient and Invented Interview with Dr Elizabeth Solopova from the Bodlian Library on the influence of medieval language on Tolkien's fiction. Stuart Lee, Elizabeth Solopova 01 Dec 2008
44 Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary: 'The Ring of Words' A discussion with the authors of 'The Ring of Words', an exploration into Tolkien's work as a lexicographer for the Oxford English Dictionary. Stuart Lee, Peter Gilliver, Jeremy Marshall, Edmund Weiner 23 Oct 2008