Essays
These are essays that I've written or that I'd like to bring to your attention.
Arda's Culture and History
- Basic History of the Languages of Arda (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: This is a guide for those of you trying to figure out what language people would be speaking and naming in a fanfiction/roleplay/daydream.
- Tolkien's Magic (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: A comprehensive examination of the magic Tolkien created for Eä.
- Magic in Middle-earth (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Steuard Jensen
- Description: An essay on the nature of magic in Middle-earth.
- Eldarin Views on Killing and Healing, and the History of the Elessar
- By: dreamingfifi
- A shortessay exploring the Elven views on healing versus killing, and Aragorn’s magical wedding gift and namesake.
- The Healing Arts of Middle-earth
- By: Tinw
- A careful breakdown of all the texts mentioning healing to better understand its nature in Tolkien's lore.
- What Tolkien Officially Said About Elf Sex (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Tyellas
- Description: A cross-referenced list of everything Tolkien said about elf sex.
- An Elven Wedding (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: A detailed essay about Elven weddings based on The Laws and Customs of the Eldar, an essay by J. R. R. Tolkien. See also: Elven Wedding Vows
- Sea-Longing (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: An essay debunking the fanon about Sea-Longing.
- The Council of Elrond and The Fellowship of the Ring (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: A quick memory refresher about two important events in The Lord of the Rings books for fan fiction writers.
Races
- Elven Races (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: An easy to understand description of the three Elven races for the Role Players and fan fiction writers.
- The Origin of Man (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: An easy to understand essay about the races of Men.
- The Indigenous Population of Eriador and Gondor (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Lalaith
- Description: This text compiles what we know about the non-Númenorean Men of North-Western Middle-earth and retells history from their point of view.
- The History of the Men of Darkness (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Lalaith
- Description: A review of the peoples of Rhún and Harad and their intertwined history.
- The Third Realm in Exile (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Lalaith
- Description: A more detailed look behind the history of the haven of Umbar, the Black Númenóreans, and the Mouth of Sauron, including a map, a timeline, and a photographic view.
- Origin and History of the Ents (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Lalaith
- Description: A discussion of the origin of the Ents and the Entwives, of their possible relationship to Trolls and the Watchers of Cirith Ungol and of the proposal that Ents could be Maiar.
- The Unnatural History of Tolkien's Orcs (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Tyellas
- Description: This essay is a double-barrelled look at Tolkien's remarkable creation, the fantasy race of orcs, examining them on two levels; what Tolkien's orcs have meant to the genre of fantasy writing, and what Tolkien intended his orcs to be - including the answers about the orcs' facts of life.
- The Truth About Balrogs (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Conrad Dunkerson
- Description: This is the introductory page for a series of essays exploring many questions about these much-debated creatures.
- Vampires and Werewolves in Middle-earth (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: A brief analysis of what we know about vampires and werewolves from the story of Lúthien and Beren.
Characters
- Hair and Eye Colors in Tolkien's Works
- A simple list that must have taken a very long time to make. Unfortunately, it only cover The Lord of the Rings, The Unfinished Tales, and The Silmarillion.
- Legolas of Mirkwood - Prince Among Equals (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Tinw
- Description: An informative essay about one of the most favored characters.
- Speaking of Legolas… (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Michael Martinez
- Description: A well-researched essay about Legolas' age.
- The Elladan and Elrohir Factsheet (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Tyellas
- Description: Almost every piece of Tolkien canon information available about the twin sons of Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir.
- Haldir By The Book (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Tyellas
- Description: An overview of Book Haldir, the character as originally written by J.R.R. Tolkien.
- The mysterious king Bladorthin (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Lalaith
- Description: Hypotheses about this great king, mentioned once and never again, are abundant. Here is yet another one.
- What is Tom Bombadil? (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Steuard Jensen
- Description: A comprehensive essay discussing the various theories about the nature and identity of Tom Bombadil.
Writing
- How to write dialogue for Middle-earth characters. (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: An easy step by step method for making more realistic dialogue for the residents of Middle-earth and avoiding common errors made by role-players and fan fiction writers alike.
- Why Random Elvish should be avoided in Lord of the Rings fan fiction (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Nurvingiel
- Description: An essay about how to use foriegn languages gracefully in fiction.
Tolkien
- Warm Beds Are Good: Sex and Libido in Tolkien's Writing (Discuss this essay!)
- By: Tyellas
- Description: An attempt at a scholarly analysis of sex in Tolkien.
Miscellaneous
- From Book to Movie (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: A rant about using the movies in fan fiction.
- Naming Your Children in Elvish
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: An essay about using fantasy names in our world, on our children.
- Forum Politics (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: An essay/rant about setting up and controlling forums effectively.
- The Secret Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything Tolkien (Discuss this essay!)
- By: dreamingfifi
- Description: The secret answers to life, the universe, and everything involving Tolkien's work are kept here. Everyone who wants to write fan fiction or to role-play should follow the instructions in this short essay.
