| Foreword |
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xix | |
| Introduction |
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1 | (1) |
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2 | (1) |
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3 | (1) |
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3 | (1) |
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How This Book Is Organized |
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4 | (2) |
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Part I: The Geography of Middle-earth |
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4 | (1) |
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Part II: The Beings of Middle-earth |
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4 | (1) |
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Part III: The History of Middle-earth |
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5 | (1) |
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Part IV: The Languages of Middle-earth |
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5 | (1) |
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Part V: The Themes and Mythology of Middle-earth |
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5 | (1) |
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Part VI: The Part of Tens |
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5 | (1) |
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6 | (1) |
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6 | (1) |
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Part I: The Geography of Middle-earth |
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7 | (38) |
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The Worlds of Middle-earth |
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9 | (12) |
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Where in the World Is Middle-earth? |
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9 | (2) |
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The Meaning of Middle-earth |
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11 | (2) |
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The origin of the term ``Middle-earth'' |
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12 | (1) |
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``Stuck in the middle again . . .'' |
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12 | (1) |
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Middle-earth as a Fantasy World |
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13 | (2) |
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On the nature of the fairytale |
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14 | (1) |
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The fairytale as ``sub-creation'' |
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15 | (1) |
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Middle-earth as a Mythic World |
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15 | (3) |
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``Fortunate'' calamities in myth and legend |
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16 | (1) |
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Background myths of ``The Lord of the Rings'' |
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17 | (1) |
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Middle-earth as a World of Diverse Beings |
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18 | (1) |
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Middle-earth as a Historical World |
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19 | (1) |
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Middle-earth as a World of Language |
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20 | (1) |
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The Lands of Middle-earth and Beyond |
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21 | (24) |
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Eriador, the Home of the Shire |
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22 | (4) |
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Arnor, the Land of the King |
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22 | (1) |
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Angmar, the Witch Kingdom |
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23 | (1) |
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The Shire, home of the hobbits |
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23 | (1) |
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24 | (1) |
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24 | (1) |
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Rivendell, the Last Homely House |
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25 | (1) |
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Eregion, the Land of Holly |
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25 | (1) |
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Khazad-dum, or the Mines of Moria |
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26 | (1) |
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Rhovanion, the Wilderland |
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26 | (2) |
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The Lonely Mountain and Lake Town |
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26 | (1) |
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27 | (1) |
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Emyn Muil and the Argonath |
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27 | (1) |
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Lothlorien, the Golden Wood of Galadriel |
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27 | (1) |
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Fangorn, or Treebeard's Forest |
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28 | (1) |
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28 | (1) |
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Isengard, the Iron Enclosure |
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28 | (1) |
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Rohan, Land of the Horse-lords |
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29 | (3) |
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Edoras, the royal city of Rohan |
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30 | (1) |
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The Hornburg and the Glittering Caves of Helm's Deep |
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31 | (1) |
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Dunharrow and the Pukel-men |
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31 | (1) |
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Gondor, the Land of Stone |
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32 | (3) |
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Osgiliath, Fortress of the Stars |
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33 | (1) |
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Minas Tirith, the Tower of the Guard |
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33 | (1) |
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33 | (1) |
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Druadan, forest home of the Woses |
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34 | (1) |
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Pelargir, the harbor of the royal ships |
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34 | (1) |
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Mordor, the Land of Shadow |
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35 | (1) |
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35 | (1) |
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Barad-dur, the Dark Tower |
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36 | (1) |
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Cirith Ungol, the Spider's Pass |
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36 | (1) |
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Aman, the Western Paradise |
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36 | (3) |
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Valinor, home of the gods |
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38 | (1) |
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38 | (1) |
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Taniquetil, the Mount Olympus of Aman |
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39 | (1) |
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Beleriand, the Original Western Middle-earth |
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39 | (1) |
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Numenor, Tolkien's Atlantis |
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40 | (5) |
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Part II: The Beings of Middle-earth |
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45 | (122) |
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47 | (10) |
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Eru and His Angelic Ainur |
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48 | (1) |
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49 | (3) |
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49 | (1) |
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The Valar and the gods of mythology |
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50 | (2) |
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52 | (5) |
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Osse and Uinen, Maiar of Ulmo |
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53 | (1) |
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Melian, Maia of Vana and Este |
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54 | (1) |
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Olorin, Maia of Lorien and Nienna |
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54 | (1) |
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Sauron, Maia of Aule and Melkor |
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55 | (1) |
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The Valaraukar, those nasty Balrogs |
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55 | (2) |
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57 | (16) |
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57 | (1) |
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The Great Journey to the Blessed Realm |
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58 | (2) |
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The mustering of the Elves |
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59 | (1) |
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The dividing of the Elves |
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60 | (1) |
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The Origin of Tolkien's Elves |
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60 | (2) |
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The Downfall of the Elves |
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62 | (1) |
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Legendary Elves of Middle-earth |
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63 | (10) |
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Feanor, the maker of the Silmarils |
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63 | (1) |
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Elwe, King Thingol of Doriath |
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64 | (3) |
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67 | (1) |
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Galadriel, Queen of Lothlorien |
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67 | (2) |
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Gil-galad, the legendary Elf |
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69 | (1) |
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Legolas, Prince of the Woodland Elves |
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70 | (3) |
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73 | (22) |
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Mankind's Role in Middle-earth |
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73 | (2) |
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Mortality as God's gift to Men |
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74 | (1) |
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The freedom of mortal Men |
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75 | (1) |
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75 | (1) |
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The Different Tribes of Men |
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76 | (5) |
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77 | (1) |
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78 | (2) |
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80 | (1) |
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Great Heroes of Middle-earth |
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81 | (14) |
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81 | (1) |
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82 | (1) |
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83 | (1) |
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Earendil, the Blessed Mariner |
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84 | (2) |
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Elendil, Isildur, and Anarion |
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86 | (1) |
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87 | (1) |
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88 | (1) |
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Faramir, son of the Steward of Gondor |
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89 | (1) |
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Aragorn, son of Arathorn, King of the Reunited Kingdom |
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90 | (5) |
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The Hardy Race of Dwarves |
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95 | (14) |
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The Origin of Tolkien's Dwarves |
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95 | (2) |
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The Awakening of Aule's Children |
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97 | (1) |
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The Role of Dwarves in Middle-earth |
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98 | (1) |
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The Death and Rebirth of Dwarves |
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99 | (1) |
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The Downfall of the Dwarves |
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100 | (5) |
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The fashioning of the Nauglamir |
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100 | (2) |
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The Dwarf-Rings and the downfall of Moria |
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102 | (3) |
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Legendary Dwarves in the History of Middle-earth |
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105 | (4) |
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Thorin Oakenshield, King under the Mountain |
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105 | (2) |
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107 | (2) |
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109 | (20) |
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Concerning the Nature of Hobbits |
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109 | (7) |
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Lao-tzu's description of an ideal hobbit life |
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112 | (1) |
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Hobbits and their homespun wisdom |
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112 | (1) |
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113 | (1) |
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114 | (2) |
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Concerning the Origin of Hobbits |
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116 | (1) |
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Concerning Hobbit Clans and Government |
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117 | (4) |
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Official history and Shire Reckoning |
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118 | (1) |
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The management of the Shire |
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119 | (1) |
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The Shire as Tolkien's utopia |
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120 | (1) |
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Legendary Hobbits of Middle-earth |
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121 | (8) |
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Bilbo Baggins of the Shire |
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121 | (1) |
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Frodo Baggins, the ``famousest of the hobbits'' |
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122 | (2) |
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Samwise Gamgee, the stouthearted |
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124 | (1) |
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124 | (1) |
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Meriadoc (Merry) Brandybuck |
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125 | (1) |
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The roles of Merry and Pippin in The Lord of the Rings |
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126 | (1) |
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Smeagol/Gollum, hero and villain |
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127 | (2) |
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129 | (10) |
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The Wizards of Middle-earth |
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129 | (3) |
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Merlin and Odin: Possible sources for Tolkien's wizards |
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131 | (1) |
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The Role of Tolkien's Wizards |
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132 | (7) |
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133 | (2) |
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135 | (2) |
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137 | (2) |
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Beorn, Tom Bombadil, and Treebeard |
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139 | (10) |
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Understanding Tolkien's Nature Beings |
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139 | (1) |
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140 | (2) |
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141 | (1) |
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141 | (1) |
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142 | (3) |
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Tom Bombadil as a ``natural'' pacifist |
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143 | (1) |
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144 | (1) |
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Ents, Tree-herds of the Forest |
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145 | (4) |
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The Ents as the children of Yavanna |
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146 | (1) |
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The search for the Entwives |
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147 | (1) |
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The relationship between Ents and Huorns |
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147 | (2) |
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The Enemy and His Minions |
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149 | (18) |
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Melkor/Morgoth, Lord of Might and Darkness |
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150 | (3) |
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Melkor as Tolkien's Lucifer |
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151 | (1) |
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The attempted rehabilitation of Melkor |
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152 | (1) |
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Tolkien and the idea of irredeemable evil |
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152 | (1) |
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The final defeat of Melkor |
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153 | (1) |
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Sauron, the Enemy of Freedom in Middle-earth |
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153 | (5) |
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Sauron and the forging of the Rings of Power |
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154 | (1) |
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Sauron and the downfall of Numenor |
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155 | (1) |
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Sauron and the Exiles of Numenor |
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156 | (1) |
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The last act and Sauron's final destruction |
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157 | (1) |
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The Ringwraiths, Loyal Servants of Sauron |
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158 | (1) |
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The Dragons of Middle-earth |
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159 | (1) |
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The Two Giant Spiders, Ungoliant and Shelob |
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160 | (2) |
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Ungoliant and her taste for light |
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160 | (1) |
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Shelob and her fear of light |
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161 | (1) |
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Of Balrogs, Trolls, and Orcs |
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162 | (2) |
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Balrogs as corrupted Maiar |
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162 | (1) |
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163 | (1) |
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163 | (1) |
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On Werewolves, Vampires, Wargs, Wights, and Watchers |
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164 | (3) |
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Part III: The History of Middle-earth |
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167 | (20) |
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169 | (8) |
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An Overview of the Valarian Ages |
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169 | (1) |
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170 | (1) |
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The Days of the Bliss of Valinor |
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171 | (2) |
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The Noontide of the Blessed Realm |
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173 | (4) |
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The First Three Ages and Then Some |
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177 | (10) |
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``Here Comes the Sun . . .'' |
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177 | (2) |
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Highlights of Events in the Three Ages |
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179 | (1) |
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The First Age and the War of the Silmarils |
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179 | (3) |
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The Second Age and the Sinking of Numenor |
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182 | (2) |
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The Third Age and the War of the Ring |
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184 | (3) |
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Part IV: The Languages of Middle-earth |
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187 | (24) |
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189 | (10) |
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189 | (3) |
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The etymological mythmaker |
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190 | (1) |
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Invented language and its need for a mythology |
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191 | (1) |
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Euphony in Tolkien's Languages |
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192 | (1) |
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193 | (2) |
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Singing the physical world into being |
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193 | (2) |
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Singing a mythical world into being |
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195 | (1) |
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195 | (4) |
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The power of spiritual words |
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196 | (1) |
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Controlling others through voice |
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197 | (2) |
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199 | (12) |
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Why the Hobbits Seem to Speak English |
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199 | (1) |
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Old English and the Languages of the Men of Middle-earth |
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200 | (2) |
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Quenya and Sindarin: The Languages of the Elves |
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202 | (1) |
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Guide to Middle-earth Pronunciation |
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202 | (2) |
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Tolkien's Scripts and Letters |
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204 | (7) |
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204 | (4) |
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208 | (3) |
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Part V: The Themes and Mythology of Middle-earth |
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211 | (90) |
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The Struggle Between Good and Evil |
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213 | (6) |
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213 | (1) |
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214 | (4) |
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215 | (1) |
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Tolkien and the last battle against evil |
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216 | (2) |
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218 | (1) |
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219 | (14) |
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Relations Between Immortals and Mortals in Middle-earth |
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219 | (1) |
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220 | (1) |
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Elven Death in Middle-earth |
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221 | (4) |
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The death of Miriel Serinde |
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222 | (1) |
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222 | (1) |
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The death of Finrod Felagund |
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223 | (2) |
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Human Death in Middle-earth |
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225 | (4) |
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Exploiting Men's fear of death |
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226 | (1) |
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227 | (1) |
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The deaths of Aragorn and Arwen |
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228 | (1) |
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The Hope in a Mortal Life |
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229 | (4) |
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Tolkien's answer to death as a Christian |
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230 | (1) |
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Bearing your own Ring of Power |
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231 | (2) |
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233 | (14) |
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The Nature of the Heroic Quest |
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233 | (1) |
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The Nature of Tolkien's Heroes |
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234 | (1) |
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Aragorn as Tolkien's Classic Hero |
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235 | (3) |
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235 | (1) |
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Aragorn as Estel, son of Gilraen |
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236 | (1) |
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Aragorn as Isildur's heir |
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237 | (1) |
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Treading the Paths of the Dead |
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237 | (1) |
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The return of the rightful king |
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238 | (1) |
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Bilbo as the Hesitant Hero |
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238 | (2) |
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Bilbo, the thief of Thorin's company |
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239 | (1) |
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239 | (1) |
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Frodo as the Unwitting Hero |
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240 | (4) |
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Frodo's courage and internal struggle |
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241 | (1) |
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Frodo's Christ-like suffering |
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242 | (1) |
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243 | (1) |
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Frodo as the wounded hero |
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243 | (1) |
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244 | (1) |
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Gollum as the Unintentional Hero |
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245 | (2) |
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247 | (10) |
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Courtly Love in the Age of Chivalry |
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248 | (1) |
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Romantic Love in the Modern Age |
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249 | (1) |
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249 | (1) |
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The Love Story of Beren and Luthien |
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250 | (4) |
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251 | (1) |
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252 | (2) |
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Beren and Luthien Reprised: The Love Story of Aragorn and Arwen |
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254 | (3) |
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257 | (12) |
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Fate and Free Will: A Matter of Choice |
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257 | (4) |
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Between what will be and what shall be |
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258 | (1) |
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259 | (1) |
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260 | (1) |
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The Tragic Fate of Feanor |
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261 | (1) |
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The Tragedy of Turin Turambar |
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262 | (4) |
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The curse of the father visited on the son |
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262 | (1) |
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Will the real hero please stand up? |
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262 | (2) |
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Turin: When the master becomes the thrall |
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264 | (2) |
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The Power of Collective Fate |
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266 | (3) |
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The fate of the Ring-bearers |
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266 | (2) |
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The fate of the Elves in the Age of Men |
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268 | (1) |
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269 | (8) |
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The Role of Faith in Tolkien's Work |
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269 | (3) |
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270 | (2) |
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272 | (2) |
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``Where there's life, there's hope . . .'' |
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272 | (1) |
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272 | (2) |
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274 | (3) |
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274 | (1) |
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275 | (2) |
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277 | (10) |
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277 | (1) |
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The Powers of Tolkien's Rings |
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278 | (4) |
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The Power of the Elven-Rings: Vilya, Nenya, and Narya |
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279 | (1) |
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The Ring's Powers over Dwarves and Men |
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280 | (1) |
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The Power of the One Ring |
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280 | (2) |
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Ring-related Sagas in Norse and Germanic Mythology |
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282 | (2) |
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The ring of the ``Volsung Saga'' |
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283 | (1) |
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283 | (1) |
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The Power of the One Ring in Modern Life |
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284 | (3) |
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287 | (6) |
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287 | (4) |
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288 | (1) |
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289 | (2) |
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291 | (2) |
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293 | (8) |
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293 | (3) |
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294 | (2) |
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Middle-earth as a Man's Men's World |
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296 | (1) |
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Gender roles in Middle-earth |
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297 | (1) |
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Gender Selection among the Valar |
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297 | (1) |
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298 | (3) |
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Part VI: The Part of Tens |
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301 | (18) |
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Top Ten Battles in the War of the Ring |
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303 | (6) |
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Ents March on Isengard (March 2) |
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303 | (1) |
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Battle of the Hornburg (March 3-4) |
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304 | (1) |
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Assaults on Lorien (March 11, 15, 22) |
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304 | (1) |
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Battle for the Ships at Pelargir (March 13) |
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304 | (1) |
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Battle of Pelennor Fields (March 13-15) |
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305 | (1) |
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Battle under the Trees (March 15) |
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305 | (1) |
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Battle of Dale and the Siege of Erebor (March 17-27) |
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305 | (1) |
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Battle of Morannon (March 25) |
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306 | (1) |
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Destruction of Dol Guldur (March 28) |
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306 | (1) |
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Battle of Bywater (November 3) |
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306 | (3) |
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Top Ten Online Middle-earth Resources |
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309 | (4) |
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309 | (1) |
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The Lord of the Rings Maps |
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309 | (1) |
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310 | (1) |
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310 | (1) |
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310 | (1) |
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Houghton Mifflin's Official Tolkien Page |
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310 | (1) |
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311 | (1) |
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311 | (1) |
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311 | (1) |
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312 | (1) |
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Top Ten Ways the ``Lord of the Rings'' Books Differ from the Movies |
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313 | (6) |
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The Forming of the Hobbit Company to Accompany Frodo |
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313 | (1) |
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Tom Bombadil and Goldberry in the Old Forest |
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314 | (1) |
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Frodo Encounters the Ringwraiths at Weathertop |
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314 | (1) |
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Frodo's Flight to the Ford of Bruinen to Escape the Ringwraiths |
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315 | (1) |
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The Forming of the Fellowship of the Ring at the Council of Elrond |
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315 | (1) |
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The Breaking up of the Fellowship of the Ring |
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315 | (1) |
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The March of the Ents Against Saruman at Isengard |
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316 | (1) |
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The Battle of the Hornburg at Helm's Deep |
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317 | (1) |
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Faramir Encountering the Hobbits and Gollum |
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317 | (1) |
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The Stairway of Cirith Ungol |
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318 | (1) |
| Index |
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319 | |
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