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In the Nameless Wood: Explorations in the Philological Hinterland of Tolkien's Literary Creations presents essays by J. S. Ryan concerning J.R.R. Tolkien's academic work and fantasy creation. It was published in 2013 by Walking Tree Publishers, as the thirtieth installment of the Cormarë Series. Ryan is one of few Tolkien experts who studied under Tolkien personally.

"Following in the footsteps of the previous publication, Tolkien's View: Windows into his World, Professor J.S. Ryan in this latest collection of essays pursues Professor Tolkien's narrow path through the Nameless Wood of uncharted territory between academic research and myth creation culminating in the writing of the 20th century's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings."
The publisher

Title[]

Philology, the wide study of language and linguistic evolution from historical sources, was the primary life-occupation of Tolkien, in his work as a professor and as fantasy worldbuilder and writer.

Hinterland is a German term that is used to mean, "the source-land". Its literal English translation is, "the land behind".

Contents[]

  • 'The Nameless Wood' and 'The Narrow Path'
  • Part A - The Ancient Middle East and its Associations
    • Indo-European Race-Memories and Race-Fears from the Ancient City of Uruk - and so to Tolkien as the Quietly Speculative Philologist
    • Oath-Swearing, the Stone of Erech and the Near East of the Ancient World
    • Saruman, 'Sharkey' and Suruman: Analogous Figures of Eastern Ingenuity and Cunning
    • Túrin, Turanian and Ural-Altaic Philology
    • Gollum and the Golem: A Neglected Tolkienian Association with Jewish Thought
  • Part B - Romano-British Lydney and its Remarkable Importance for Tolkien's Oeuvre
    • The Lydney Archaeological Site and Tolkien's Portrayal of the King as Healer
    • The Mines of Mendip and of Moria, with some Reflections on The Lair of the White Worm
    • Dwarf's Hill and the 'Dwarf's Chapel' - the Matter of the Ancient Mining There and the Ideas for Further Story that Fabled Activity might well have Engendered
    • Ancient Mosaic Tiles from out the West: some Romano-British 'Traditional' Motifs
  • Part C - The North and West Germanic Tradition and Christianity
    • Frothi, Frodo - and Dodo and Odo
    • The Knee and the Old English Gifstol as Sacral Symbols of Protection and of Forgiveness
    • King Alfred's Developing Concept of 'Wisdom' and its Relevance to Tolkien's Grand Moral Philosophy
    • Uncouth Innocence - some Links Between Chrétien de Troyes, Wolfram von Eschenbach and J.R.R. Tolkien
    • Lore of Dwarves - in Jacob Grimm and Thomas Keightley
    • Warg, Wearg, Earg and Werewolf - a Note on a Speculative Tolkienian Etymology
    • The Number Fifteen, Heroic Ventures and Two Horrible Songs
    • Fear and Revulsion in "the cold, hard lands"
    • The Origin and Cultural Associations of the Place Name Wetwang
  • Part D - Twentieth Century Oxford & England
    • The Wild Wood - Place of Danger, Place of Protest
    • J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Roy Campbell
    • Tolkien and Auden
  • Appendix: J.R.R. Tolkien and the Ancrene Riwle, or Two Fine and Courteous Mentors to Women's Spirit

External links[]

See also[]

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