This week, we reach the Lonely Mountain in Chapter Eleven of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, "On The Doorstep". How do we understand the Desolation of Smaug? Does Tolkien resolve the conflict between free will and prophecy? What is the function of the back door?

The slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)
• Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (Corey Olsen)
• The Consolation of Philosophy (Ancius Boethius)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

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Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we consider the textual history of Tolkien's Legendarium, from the stories told in the Cottage of Lost Play to the Red Book of Westmarch. How does Tolkien's framing of his work shift from myth to history? What are the benefits of this careful chain of texts? What are the other accounts that we wish we could read?

Thanks to Suzanne for the question!

Show Notes

• The Book Of Lost Tales, Part One and Part Two
• J.R.R. Tolkien and Dorothy L. Sayers (From The Heart Of Europe)
• Creating Imaginary Languages: An Enduring Form of Artistry (Dmitra Fimi)
• Ursula K Le Guin’s maps of imaginary worlds are charted in a new exhibition (Wallpaper)
• ‘Cosy and comforting’: why The Fellowship of the Ring is my feelgood movie (The Guardian)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow @ShireReckoningPod on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.  

This week, we finally meet some Men in chapter ten of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, "A Warm Welcome". How does the book suggest the history of Esgaroth? How is the Master of Lake-town contrasted with Good Tolkienian Kings? What is the effect of prophecy, and how does it interact with free will?

You can see the video version of this podcast here, and the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)
• Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (Corey Olsen)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we break format a little bit to talk about the (actually pretty good) first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. What struggles does the show face on a conceptual level? How do the various plot threads and timelines work together, and with Tolkien's original stories? What is the difference between an intriguing mystery box, and lying to the audience?

Show Notes

• The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
• Game of Thrones
• Lost
• Westworld
• Mr. Robot
• Watchmen

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow @ShireReckoningPod on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.  

This week, the halls of the Elven King in chapter nine of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, "Barrels Out Of Bond". Is this the moment that The Hobbit becomes a fantasy novel? How does Bilbo's luck relate to eucatastrophe? Do these elves really seem like elves?

You can see the video version of this podcast here, and the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)
• A Map of Middle-earth (Pauline Baynes)
• Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (Corey Olsen)
• The Atlas of Middle-earth (Karen Wyn Fonstad)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we discuss estel, hope. Why is it so important to our sense of Tolkien's Legendarium? How it is lost, or turned to despair? How do we continue to fight in the face of adversity?

Thanks to Elizabeth and Nathan for the questions!

Show Notes

• Anthem (Leonard Cohen)
• The Hobbit (1967 BBC Radio)
• Flanders and Swann
• The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle
• Middle-earth: Shadow Of Mordor
• Jennifer Hale
• A world for children: J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: or There and Back Again (C.S. Lewis)
• Who Is Tom Bombadil?
• The Muster At Marquette
• “Don’t Go Where I Can’t Follow.” Sam’s Grief For Frodo in Shelob’s Lair

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow @ShireReckoningPod on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.  

This week, we celebrate Hobbit Day by pausing in our journey through J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and looking at the 1977 TV movie adaptation. Can you compress the whole story into 78 minutes? What happens when the goblins and elves become more monstrous? How do we understand the anti-war sentiment?

You can see the video version of this podcast here, and the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• The Hobbit (1977)
• The Lord of the Rings (1978)
• The Return of the King (1980)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we discuss the most magical place in all of Middle-earth, Lothlórien. How did it get started? Why is it so magical? What's Galadriel's whole deal, anyway?

Thanks to Sarah for the question!

Show Notes

• Captain Britain
• “A fear of anything large and alive, and not easily tamed or destroyed”: Kaiju in The Lord of the Rings (Kristine Larsen)
• The Inconsistencies of Galadriel: The Influence of Earlier Legendarium in The Lord of the Rings (Alexander Retakh)
• No Ragnarök, No Armageddon: Pagan and Christian interpretations of The Lord of the Rings (Matthew Thompson-Handell)
• But What Did He Really Mean? (Verlyn Flieger)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow @ShireReckoningPod on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.  

This week, the enchantments of the Mirkwood in Chapter Eight of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. How do we understand the conflict, physical and magical, between the elves and the spiders? Why does Bilbo feel more accomplished and confident in this chapter? Is this really a turning point in the adventure?

You can see the video version of this podcast here, and the slides are available for download by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Shire Reckoning Production Schedule
• J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography (Humphrey Carpenter)
• The History of the Hobbit (John D. Rateliff)
• The Atlas of Middle-earth (Karen Wyn Fonstad)
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.

This week, we discuss the Great Powers of Arda, the Valar. Who are they? How do they teach us how to understand the philosophical framework of Tolkien's world? Did they make mistakes, or do they just look like mistakes from where we're standing?

Thanks to Darius for the question!

Show Notes

• Morgoth's Ring, The History of Middle-earth Volume 10
• "The British Invasion, The Impact of The Lord of the Rings and The Beatles"
• "The Lord of the Rings musical pulls UK run next month"
• J.R.R. Tolkien and the works of Joss Whedon (Journal of Tolkien Research)

Shire Reckoning is a Next Word production. For bonus episodes and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/NextWord.

Follow Shire Reckoning on YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.

Music by Corvus from Pixabay.