References by Title

Tar-Palantir by oshun

Tar-Palantir and his descendants tried to stem the rising rebellion against the Valar and Eldar in Númenor. Though the drowning of that land speaks to their ultimate failure, their legacy perpetuates in the Mortal realms of Middle-earth into the Third Age.

Published on 1 January 2021.

Tar-Vanimeldë by oshun

Tar-Vanimeldë is a character whose story "raises as many questions as it answers." In the few details he offers, Tolkien hints that her throne was usurped by her power-hungry husband.

Published on 1 May 2019.

Telchar of Nogrod by Lindariel

Telchar emerges in some of Tolkien's early writings but remains elusive, despite his status as a great Dwarven smith. However, some of what is known about his character is revealed in his creations.

Published on 5 May 2022.

Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook

While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.

Published on 7 May 2024.

The Accidental King: Five Reasons Why Finarfin Deserves More Appreciation by Dawn Felagund

An essay and commentary looking at the canonical facts about Finarfin in contrast to the neglect and hostility that his character is given by the Silmarillion fanfiction community.

Table of Contents

Published on 31 January 2006.

The Curious Case of Peregrin Boffin by simon

This story was penned some years back as a way of marking the Peregrin Boffin of the 1939 drafts of The Lord of the Rings. Boffin was a Hobbit who walked to Moria but vanished from the story in summer 1940, when his character, Trotter, the Ranger met in Bree, became Aragorn, heir of Elendil.

Published on 8 December 2023.

The Easterling Hostages in Middle-earth and Their Parallels in Welsh Medieval History by MirienSilowende

The use of hostages as a political strategy in Third Age Gondor has historical parallels in medieval Welsh history, and the bloody outcome of the real history may explain some of the tensions between the Easterlings and Gondorians as Sauron's power grew.

Published on 18 August 2022.

The Fall of Gondolin Reflected in History by MirienSilowende

The Fall of Gondolin has historical antecedents in sacks of cities in the ancient and medieval world, all featuring military destruction and a grievous impact on innocent civilian survivors.

Published on 21 January 2023.

The Peaks of Taniquetil by Simon J. Cook

In 1946, two towers appeared in Tolkien's writings. The tower found in The Fall of Númenor may shed light on the meaning of the tower analogy of "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics."

Published on 16 January 2024.

The Perfect Girl: An Exploration of the Hidden and Dynamic World of Fan Fiction by Nikara

An analysis of the fan fiction phenomenon of "Mary Sue" and readers' reactions to this controversial fanfic archetype.

Published on 23 April 2007.

The Pillar and the Vastness: A Longitudinal View of the Tolkien Fanfiction Fandom by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Using the 2015 and 2020 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data, this presentation reviews fandom demographics, use of sources, influence of the films, and use of sites and archives to post fanfiction, reviewing changes across the two data sets.

Published on 3 June 2021.

The Plague in Gondor by MirienSilowende

Midway through the Third Age, a plague devastated Gondor before spreading northward. This element of the legendarium connects to the history of real-world plagues, namely the Black Death.

Published on 14 October 2022.

The Rock Garden by Simon J. Cook

An early draft of Tolkien's essay on "Beowulf" used a rock garden analogy to show how the critics—who were actual people whom Tolkien knew—were responding incorrectly to the poem.

Published on 7 September 2023.

The Stars That Varda Made by Kitt Otter

Varda kindled the stars and set them into patterns. Many of these stars the Professor named in Elvish, but which real-life stars was he referring to?

Published on 1 May 2009.

The Textual Ghosts Project by Elleth

The Textual Ghosts Project is a list of the women who must have existed by inference, acting on the assumption that all characters (excepting the Ainur and the first-awakened Elves at Cuiviénen) must have had mothers and those with offspring also must have had wives.

Published on 12 December 2020.

The Tolkienian War on Science by Dr. Joan Bushwell

Biochemist and long-time Tolkien fan, Doc Bushwell argues that the events and ideas expressed in Tolkien's works often demonstrate a strong disdain for science and technology.

Published on 26 April 2007.

Theorycrafting: Interview with Scedasticity of the "Silmarillion Headcanon Survey" by Scedasticity and Dawn Felagund

The Silmarillion Headcanon Survey is a sprawling project that seeks to document where fans fall on various fan theories. Lead researcher Scedasticity discusses its inspiration, what it shows of the fandom, and what lies ahead for the project.

Published on 17 October 2023.

Thingol by oshun

Elu Thingol is one of the three elves, along with Ingwë and Finwë, chosen by Oromë to go to Valinor and eventually lead his people across the sea. However, he never made it back to Valinor and instead reigned as the Sindarin king on Doriath.

Published on 1 December 2007.

Things Tolkien Fanfiction Readers and Writers Like to Do (Other Than Fanfiction) by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Tolkien fanfiction writers and readers are involved in fandom in ways other than fanfiction. What else do they do and what patterns can we find in their preferences, using Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data?

Published on 27 January 2024.

Thorondor, Lord of the Eagles by oshun

Thorondor, called the Lord of the Eagles, is the mightiest among the feathered messengers and guardians who served Manwë in Middle-earth.

Published on 1 June 2016.

Thranduil by Scarlet10

Thranduil, best known as "the Elvenking" in The Hobbit, appears throughout various texts in Tolkien's writings and has been subject to myriad fan interpretations.

Published on 1 January 2013.

Thuringwethil by oshun

Thuringwethil is a villain who appears in the tale of Beren and Lúthien. For a relatively obscure character, who appears only briefly and is mentioned but four times by name in The Silmarillion, she is known among readers and perhaps viewed as an intriguing creature or one whom readers love to hate.

Published on 1 June 2016.

Tinfang Warble by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Tinfang Warble is a character who fits best in the early, whimsical fairy-story mode of the Lost Tales before receding to a figure of folklore and legend and finally disappearing altogether.

Published on 30 September 2022.

Tolkien, His Gnarly Canon, and His Authority by Dawn Walls-Thumma

Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data from 2015 and 2020 shows that Tolkien fans have diverse views on Tolkien's authority but suggests that adherence to his authority is decreasing over time.

Published on 11 August 2023.

Tulkas by Dawn Felagund

Tulkas evolved from Tolkien's early work on the Silmarillion from a playful, youthful character to a character more associated with unapologetic violence.

Published on 1 November 2011.