In Middle Earth, there are wizards and sorcerers, shape-changers and giant spiders, rings that make you disappear and seeing-stones. For many fantasy writers, these types of characters and objects are magical and mandatory in a fantasy work where there is often good magic and bad magic.
Magic and Art in Middle Earth
After being asked by Sam for elvish magic, Galadriel was confused by the hobbit’s request for it. For Tolkien, magic was not both good and bad, but something used only by the forces of evil.
What is magic in Tolkien’s Middle Earth? How does Tolkien see magic, and how is it different from art? Furthermore, where do objects such as the Silmarils and Galadriel’s mirror fall into these definitions? And how does Tolkien’s treatment of art and magic distinguish him from other fantasy authors?
Come join us this week in #thehalloffire as we discuss magic and art in Middle Earth.
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Upcoming topics:
July 17-18 — Powerful Objects in Middle Earth’s History
July 24-25 — Gandalf’s Involvement with the Hobbits
August 7-8 — Middle Earth’s Greatest Cities
August 14-15 — The Hobbit: Chapter 11: On the Doorstep
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Chat Times:
Saturday Chat:
5:30pm ET (17:30)
[also 11:30pm (23:30) CET and 9:30am Sunday (07:30) AET]
Sunday Chat:
7:00 pm (19:00) CET
[also 1:00pm (13:00) ET and 5:00am (03:00) Monday morning AET]
ET = Eastern Time, USA’s East Coast
CET = Central European Time, Central Europe
AET = Australian East Coast
