A Sense of History: Spiral Staircase

A Sense of History - Spiral Staircase by Simon J. Cook

This month's A Sense of History article, written by Simon J. Cook, continues to engage the question of how Tolkien's work on his legendariun informed his scholarship on Beowulf and vice versa. Simon extends the metaphor of the tower found in Tolkien's lecture-turned-essay "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics"—and of course towers bristle across the landscapes of Arda—to consider what it reveals of the Anglo-Saxon imagination.

This month's column considers what it means to climb the tower, descend it again, and peer through its windows at each landing. The spiral shape of the staircase, Simon argues, is essential to understanding the meaning of the tower.

You can read Simon's article "Spiral Staircase" here.

Posted on 13 September 2024 (updated 12 October 2024) by SWG Moderators