In the Nameless Wood
Explorations in the
Philological Hinterland of Tolkien's Literary Creations
J.S. Ryan
Cormarë Series No. 30
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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 mythcreation
culminating in the writing of the 20th century's masterpiece,
The Lord of the Rings.
Having himself studied under Professor J.R.R. Tolkien and having written for no less than 50 years on his inspirational teacher, his sources and the applicability of his writings, J.S. Ryan is uniquely placed to reflect not only on Tolkien the Scholar or Tolkien the Author, but equally on Tolkien the Man.
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Preface
v
Introduction
ix
List of Abbreviations and References
xv
Prequel
'The Nameless Wood' and 'The Narrow Path'
3
Part A
The Ancient Middle East and its Associations
Essay 1
Indo-European Race-Memories and Race-Fears from the
Ancient City of Uruk ... and so to Tolkien as the quietly
Speculative Philologist
37
Essay 2
Oath-Swearing, the Stone of Erech and the Near East of the
Ancient World
61
Essay 3
Saruman, 'Sharkey' and Suruman: Analogous Figures of
Eastern Ingenuity and Cunning
73
Essay 4
Túrin, Turanian and Ural-Altaic Philology
79
Essay 5
Gollum and the Golem: A Neglected Tolkienian Association
with Jewish Thought
87
Part B
Romano-British Lydney and its Remarkable Importance for
Tolkien's Œuvre
Essay 6
The Lydney Archaeological Site and Tolkien's Portrayal of
the King as Healer
95
Essay 7
The Mines of Mendip and of Moria, with some Reflections
on The Lair of the White Worm
107
Essay 8
Dwarf's Hill and the 'Dwarf's Chapel' ... the Matter of the
Ancient Mining There and the Ideas for Further Story that
that Fabled Activity might well have Engendered
121
Essay 9
Ancient Mosaic Tiles from out the West: some Romano-British
'Traditional' Motifs
129
Part C
The North and West Germanic Tradition and Christianity
Essay 10
Frothi, Frodo - and Dodo and Odo
139
Essay 11
The Knee and the Old English Gifstol as Sacral Symbols of
Protection and of Forgiveness
149
Essay 12
King Alfred's Developing Concept of 'Wisdom' and its
Relevance to Tolkien's Grand Moral Philosophy
157
Essay 13
Uncouth Innocence - some Links Between Chrétien de Troyes,
Wolfram von Eschenbach and J.R.R. Tolkien
167
Essay 14
Lore of Dwarves - in Jacob Grimm and Thomas Keightley
183
Essay 15
Warg, Wearg, Earg and Werewolf - a Note on a Speculative
Tolkienian Etymology
187
Essay 16
The Number Fifteen, Heroic Ventures and Two Horrible Songs
203
Essay 17
Fear and Revulsion in "the cold, hard lands"
207
Essay 18
The Origin and Cultural Associations of the Place Name Wetwang
211
Part D
Twentieth Century Oxford & England
Essay 19
The Wild Wood - Place of Danger, Place of Protest
219
Essay 20
J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Roy Campbell
235
Essay 21
Tolkien and Auden
243
Appendix
J.R.R. Tolkien and the Ancrene Riwle, or
Two Fine and Courteous Mentors to Women's Spirit
261
Bibliography
301
Index
337
The present book is published as the second of a pair collecting the essays of J.S. Ryan. The accompanying first volume, Tolkien's View: Windows into his World is equally available from Walking Tree Publishers.
J.S. Ryan, Tolkien's View: Windows into his World, Zurich and Jena 2009 (Cormarë Series 19), ISBN 978-3-905703-13-9.
In the Nameless Wood reviewed in Mythlore (23rd June 2015)
Book reviews in Inklings Jahrbuch (22nd June 2015)
Book reviews in Hither Shore (19th May 2015)
In the Nameless Wood reviewed in Beyond Bree (17th December 2013)
New book – In the Nameless Wood (11th September 2013)
Upcoming publications (5th April 2013)
Upcoming publications (30th January 2012)
Upcoming publications (30th June 2011)
In the Nameless Wood. Explorations in the Philological Hinterland of Tolkien's Literary Creations
365 pages, Walking Tree Publishers 2013, Cormarë Series No. 30, ISBN: 978-3-905703-30-6.
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