Lecture Schedule

[Eriol]

Greetings .

Since Lhun asked very sweetly and nicely, I'll try to organize the new scheme of Tolkien Lectures. Let me tell you all beforehand that I'm not too organized myself ; and I'm not too worried about that either.

Here's the deal: Beginning at the second Sunday of November, and every second Sunday after that, we will have a lecture written by one TTF member (this is NOT restricted to Tolkienologists; spread the word ).

This thread is just an "easy reference" thread for everybody to know what is the next lecture, who will talk about what, the themes, etc. etc. In a post beneath this one I will post the short list of themes I have imagined myself; everybody is urged to add to that list, to change themes, to combine themes, as they see fit.

The schedule proper will also be posted soon; as soon as I have applicants . Right now I only have two Lectures scheduled. The dates are flexible, but I'd like all to try to follow the scheme of one lecture every two weeks; to allow for discussion. Delays are expected ; but as long as we strive for that goal, no problem will occur.

I'd also like to have a rotation of "major themes" in the Lectures; to avoid one philosophical lecture right after another, and so on.

I hope Lhun can "stick" this thread soon.

 

[Eriol]

SCHEDULE

Postponed - "The Problem of Evil in Arda" - Gil-Galad

Postponed - "The Ruin of Doriath and the Relationships between Elves and Dwarves" - Maedhros

December 21st - "Dwarvish Diplomacy" - InderjitS

January 4th - "Fate and Free Will in the Narn" - Aiwendil2.

January 18th - "A Speculative History of the Music of Arda" - Aiwendil2

February 1st - "Elvish Isolationism in the 2nd and 3rd Ages" - Gil-Galad.

February 15th, February 29th.... the endless cycle


Some spots to be filled in: just let me know and I'll schedule your Lecture here.

P.S. -- due to the postponements some dates have been rearranged.

 

[Eriol]

Themes

1) Philosophical

- The problem of Evil in Arda
- Manifestations of Evil in Arda, and their change through time
- Eru and the Valar -- the extent of independence among the Valar from the designs of Eru
- Souls: Properties and characteristics of fëar in Arda; the evolution of this concept in Tolkien's writings
- The Children of Ilúvatar and their relationship to Fate

2) Historical

- Origin of Hobbits
- Elven Pre-history
- Comparison of lifestyles among the races - similarities and differences
- History of Sauron
- Technological development in Arda
- Bans, Curses and Oaths in Tolkien's Works

3) Geo-political

- Economics in Arda
- The Realms of the Faithful Dúnedain
- Dwarvish diplomacy
- Relationships between Númenoreans and Men of Middle-Earth
- Elvish isolationism in the 2nd and 3rd ages

***

I think this is just a sample of the possibilities, guys. The major divisions are intended to make sure that there is something appealing to everybody. I don't want to let my mind roam too much and spoil the fun of finding out new ways of exploring and combining the themes... Just an example: I think one could write an essay exploring orcs, and in so he would examine all five of the philosophical themes proposed... in a very integrated way too.

 

[Confusticated]

- Elven Pre-history

I will do this if no one else wants it, though I don't want to make any promises about when it can be done by. I tend to lose desire to do something when I have a deadline. So most likely I'll show up one day saying "It is done. Let me know when I should post it".

- Souls: Properties and characteristics of fëar in Arda; the evolution of this concept in Tolkien's writings

I can do this one as well. But if someone else wants these topics, go ahead. I'll come add to them after they are up.

 

[Lhunithiliel]

Nom....

It is either one takes up a topic and works on it seriously and posts it in due time or one doesn't .
It's as simple as that!

Besides, I would expect people to chose topics because they like them and they find them thrilling and worth doing some more research and studies and eventually assemble it all and share it with other Tolkien-fans.
All that ..... BUT! NOT because of some caprice or wrongly understood "generosity"!
I wonder very much at statemnets like:

I will do this if no one else wants it...

or

I can do this one as well. But if someone else wants these topics, go ahead. I'll come add to them after they are up.

You either take it because you like the topic or you simply leave it.
Believe me, there is no rush in this activity.

But once it starts, once the topics are distributed, the deadlines are to be observed!

 

[Confusticated]

Well I wouldn't want to take a topic that someone else wants.

I would do it, I just don't know when it would be complete since I may end up going back to add more and more. But since I can not give a final date, I guess I will not do these.

 

[Manveru]

Originally posted by Nóm
Well I wouldn't want to take a topic that someone else wants.

C'mon, Nóm...
First come, first served as they say.

 

[Gil-Galad]

Come on Nom!!!It's a great pleasure for everyone to read your ports and works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Manveru]

Originally posted by Gil-Galad
Come on Nom!!!It's a great pleasure for everyone to read your ports and works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I second that...

*nods his head*

 

[Eriol]

The deadlines are very far away... I hope Nóm will contribute to it. If you do not want a deadline, Nóm, what do you think of this: when your lecture is ready, you tell me, and then I fit it in in the earliest opened spot in the schedule? If this cycle is the rousing success we're planning it to be, this may be 2005 . But it allows for the lack of a deadline.

Seriously now, Nóm would make a marvellous lecturer, and if she does not want a deadline, the only effect (as I see it) is to set her lecture at an unknown date; and perhaps she will have a lecture "set and waiting" and will have to wait for a long time.

Also, I don't see any problem in two or more people writing different lectures on the same topic; it would be very interesting in my opinion, and not much of an overlap since there would be a great amount of time elapsed between the two lectures.

Bottomline: take the two topics that you want, Nóm. When a lecture is ready, tell me and I'll fit it into schedule. Or you may prefer to choose a late date; the six dates I put on the schedule are not supposed to end this activity! If you make the math and discover that June 24th is one of the Sundays in the sequence, you are free to take it... of course we'd want to read your lecture sooner, but if even Tolkien was a well known procrastinator, why should we not follow suit?

 

[Aiwendil2]

Perhaps I could do one.

Unfortunately, I may have to ask for the same kind of provision you offered to Nom - to do the essay whenever I've got time, and then let you know when it's ready. I may be able to get to work on it quite soon, but with school work being what it is I can't guarantee it.

I have a few topics in mind on which I think I could say something - "The Historical Development of Music in Arda"; "Fate and Free Will: The Genius of the Narn"; "On the Possibility of constructing a New Silmarillion".

Let me know which of these (if any) sounds most intriguing. (And don't worry, Eriol - I won't be invoking homonculi or solidity2 in any topic!)

 

[Eriol]

No homunculi? Then you won't take any hobbit topics... these are my favorites .

Pick one or two subjects, Aiwendil, and I'll add them to the list, with an unspecified date. I'd love to see that about Fate and Free Will... but that's me . I'm sure any of those topics have appeal to a lot of people.

 

[Gil-Galad]

Without a date?When this century or the next one?!!?
ok it's not a problem but I hope it will be soon! I think it's going to be really interesting Round of Lectures!!!!

 

[Aiwendil2]

Okay, I guess I'll do a lecture on the historical situation of music in Arda and one on fate and free-will in the Narn. But if this whole lecture thing is a success, I may be unable to restrain myself from doing the New Silmarillion one sometime in the future.

By the way, how long should these things be? I have a tendency toward long-windedness when it comes to nonfiction and I don't want to lose anyone's attention.

 

[Confusticated]

Nóm, what do you think of this: when your lecture is ready, you tell me, and then I fit it in in the earliest opened spot in the schedule?

Eriol, that is just what I suggested myself and Lhunithiliel didn't want it. But as I said in my last post - if I decide to commit to a date I'll let you know. Meanwhile anyone else can take them.

 

[Maedhros]

This soul lecture seems interesting to me, but I don't know if Nom wants to do it.
If not, I would like to propose one about the Comparison of lifestyles among the races - similarities and differences, but I would focus it in the relationships between dwarves and Elves with regard to the Ruin of Doriath and how it evolved.

 

[Eriol]

Maedhros, if you don't mind, I'll place your name next to the November 23rd lecture spot in the Schedule at the beginning of this thread. I'll use as a title "The Ruin of Doriath and the Relationships between Elves and Dwarves"... if you don't agree with the scheduling or if you have another title let me know.

It's just that I'm getting anxious with all those blank spaces there in the schedule .

 

[Gil-Galad]

Maedhros I'm glad to see you want to take part,especially with such an interesting topic!!

 

[Maedhros]

I don't think I will have a problem with the date, because I have already devoted some time into researching the developments Of the Ruin of Doriath for a project. I find it fascinating, and the good thing is that you have the material from the Book of Lost Tales, Quenta Noldorinwa and a little tidbit from The Hobbit and of course The Published Silmarillion.
In there I think that you can see the entire evolution of the dwarves in the legendarium.

Maedhros I'm glad to see you want to take part,especially with such an interesting topic!!

I'm glad that you are glad.

 

[Confusticated]

Maedhros, go ahead and take the spirit one if you want it. You've read everything I have on the subject.

And again, as I said before: If anyone else wants the topics, go ahead! They are not mine yet.