The Poetic Corpus of J.R.R. Tolkien: The Early Poems (Volume 1: The Years 1910-1919)
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LecturesCorey Olsen, Dr. Sara Brown, James Tauber
JRR Tolkien is one of those rare authors whose poetry is as accomplished as his prose writing. Up to this point, though, those who wished to focus primarily on Tolkien’s poetry had to access a significant number of books and online resources to do so, as they were scattered far and wide. Now, a Most Delightful Event has occurred – for the first time, a collected volume of Tolkien’s poetry is available, and it is a Tome of Significant Size comprised of three volumes: The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien: Three-Volume Box Set, edited by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond.

In this first module, we explore a selection of Tolkien's early poems taken from Volume 1 of
The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien, enjoying them for their aesthetic appeal as well as analysing them for Tolkien’s style, use of language, and the poetic forms he employed. 

Course Instructor: Dr. Sara Brown
Guest Lecturers: James Tauber & Dr. Corey Olsen
  • Lecture 1: The Introduction + Morning · Morning Song
    01:12:27
  • Lecture 2: The New Lemminkäinen and Lemminkäinen Goeth to the Ford of Oxen
    01:04:27
  • Lecture 3: James Tauber Lecture - The Voyage of Éarendel the Evening Star · The Last Voyage of Éarendel · Éala! Éarendel Engla Beorhtast!
    01:03:59
  • Lecture 4: Why the Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon: An East Anglian Phantasy · A Faërie: Why the Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon · The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon
    01:04:32
  • Lecture 5: Dr. Corey Olsen Lecture - Tolkien Takes the Field
    01:00:13
  • Lecture 6: You and Me and the Cottage of Lost Play · The Little House of Lost Play: Mar Vanwa Tyaliéva
    01:00:37
  • Lecture 7: Tinfang Warble and Goblin Feet
    01:03:45
  • Lecture 8: James Tauber Lecture - The Shores of Faery and Kôr: In a City Lost and Dead · The City of the Gods
    01:03:31
  • Lecture 9: The Trumpet of Faery · The Trumpets of Faery · The Horns of the Host of Doriath
    01:11:25
  • Lecture 10 - Dr. Corey Olsen's Guest Lecture - The Frontiers of Poetry
    01:28:43
  • Lecture 11: Tol Eressea · For England: The Lonely Isle · The Lonely Isle
    51:53
  • Lecture 12: James Tauber Lecture - Habbanan beneath the Stars · Eruman beneath the Stars and O Lady Mother Throned amid the Stars · Consolatrix Afflictorum · Stella Vespertina · Mother! O Lady Throned beyond the Stars
    59:31
  • Lecture 13: GBS
    55:44
  • Lecture 14: Dr. Corey Olsen Lecture - A Study in Extremes
    01:30:42
  • Lecture 15: Overview of the Early Poems
    59:00