Andrew’s Comments (group member since Aug 15, 2011)

Andrew’s comments from the Mythgard Institute Scholars Group group.

S

Yes used it several times in my paper for Dimitra's Fantasy Before and After Tolkien course which was on the role of portal fantasy in Tolkien's works - waiting for the feedback with trepidation!!

A

Penny

Yes Musta (darky) a precursor to Huan perhaps (Tolkien and dogs there is an article). There is also a good article in Tolkien and The Kalevala in Jane Chance's Tolkien and Myth book must dig out this week. Verlyn Flieger's work on Tolkien's early Kalevala is work is brilliant - there is some evidence of early qenya in this work as well!.

Andy

Hey All

Might be jumping ahead a bit but there is also an excellent article by Verlyn Flieger about the Eriol and Aelfwine chapter of BOLT and you can read it at http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/tolkien_...

Thanks, Andy

Erica

Brilliant chart - think I can help with one of the phrases -

hans nafn mun uppi, meðan veröldin stendr. which is Old Norse for the phrase - "his name will/endure as long as the world exists"

can be found in Volsunga Saga and the Volupsa.

Thanks, Andy

Hello Everyone

I see we are all working on Beowulf and readings around the assignments. Sandi lucky you to have the University of York Beowulf collections. Erica will have a look at the Google Docs spreadsheet brilliant idea. Might I also suggest as good background reading the intro notes from Klaebers Beowulf (4th Edition) - small print I know but some really good background on parallels to Beowulf story in Celtic and Norse myths and stories (Grettir's Saga, etc) and to fairy tale themes. There is also C.L. Wren's edition of Beowuf which has some good notes and I believe Tolkien would have used?? So its opera, Beowulf and the Kalevala for me fo the next week!!

Best, Andy

Hey Kris

Welcome aboard this is going to be fun!!! For this one I am auditing but may switch later on.

Best, Andy

Hyvia Paiva all

At lunch today I went on a web search to see what exactly this sampo that Illlmarien is making is and found some interesting Kalevala web related links that may be of interest.


http://www.finlit.fi/kalevala/index.p...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampo

http://edj.net/mc2012/finn.htm

According to the Wikipedia Link on Sampo

"The Sampo has been interpreted in many ways: a world pillar or world tree, a compass or astrolabe, a chest containing a treasure, a Byzantine coin die, a decorated Vendel period shield, a Christian relic, etc. In the Kalevala, compiler Lönnrot interpreted it to be a quern or mill of some sort that made flour, salt, and gold out of thin air. The world pillar hypothesis, originally developed by historian of religions Upo Harva and the linguist Eemil Nestor Setälä in the early 20th century, is the most widely accepted one.[1]"

Also if anyone has Tolkien Journal Volume 7 (most recent one) there is a brilliant article by Verlyn Flieger (who will be teaching one of the Kalevala courses)including a lecture Tolkien gave on the Kalevala and his early attempt to create his own version of the Kullervo story (which also shows evidence of his early Qenya language).

Continuing to explore - back to opera!!!!

Kiitos Paljon

Andy

HWAET all!!

Buried towards the back but really interesting article on Beowulf and Leadership http://www.fhsu.edu/jole/issues/JOLE_... just in time for our Beowulf exploration!

Thanks Andy

Hello Erancal

The other book is Professor Michael Drout's (who will be teaching parts of this course) work on Tolkien's lecture and notes for Beowulf The Monsters and the Critics which can be found herehttp://acunix.wheatonma.edu/mdrout/

I believe there is a new edition coming out soon as well. worth reading with the Tolkien essay. Beowulf and the Critics

My copy is heavily underlined!! Drout is one of the best for Tolkien and Anglo-Saxon literature.

Cheers Andy

Sandi Hi welcome. I am in the process of posting the recommended books and then thought it would be interesting for members to post other books they are reading in preparation around each of the key works (like I am re-reading Michael Drouts Tolkien and the Critics in prep for Beowulf). BTW Mythgard said they would include a link from the main site to this group Hope Corey is happy with!!!!

Thanks Andy

The countdown has begun and the day has come. Lets discuss how we are preparing for this autumn's Tolkien and the Epic Course and the first two great works to be studied Beowulf and The Kalevala