Exploring Tolkien

Exploring Tolkien


Latest Episodes

126. Why Did Tolkien Change The Hobbit (and what did he change)? : The Hobbit #15
December 17, 2024

Once Tolkien finished writing The Lord of the Rings, it became clear to him that The Hobbit needed to change--particularly Bilbo and Gollum's interaction. But what exactly did he change?

125. Bilbo Trembled and Found Pity : The Hobbit #14
December 10, 2024

The 2nd half of "Riddles in the Dark" is the most rewritten part of The Hobbit in the 1951 rewrite! And it's where Bilbo takes a giant leap (so to speak) into the future of his adventure.

124. Miserable Riddles in the Dark : The Hobbit #13
November 26, 2024

"Riddles in the Dark" is not only the most memorable event from all of Middle-earth -- it's also the turning point that ultimately let to The Lord of the Rings.

123. Nightmare in Moria : The Hobbit #12
November 19, 2024

The goblins of moria grab the dwarves (and hobbit) who decided to camp out on their "front porch", leading to some real terrifying moments!

122. The Real Misty Mountains : The Hobbit #11
November 12, 2024

The first part of Chapter 4, Over Hill and Under Hill, is unique for it's direct correlation with Tolkien's own past. We discuss: Tolkien's hiking experience and how it influenced this section of The Hobbit VERY obviously. Stone Giants... are they e

121. Tolkien Gave Up on Fixing The Hobbit : The Hobbit #10
November 05, 2024

When Tolkien attempted to rewrite the Hobbit in 1960, he just gave up halfway through Chapter 3. In this episode we look at: Changes in time and distance Changes in Prose and style Why he gave up His detailed notes on timeline and itinerary that

120. Where the Children’s Story Ends and the Epic Story Begins : The Hobbit #9
October 29, 2024

In the second half of Chapter 3, A Short Rest, Tolkien seems to start a shift from a children's story to more of an epic quest.

119. The Rings of Power Leaves us with Dwarf Politics and Randomly Shouting Elves
October 08, 2024

The final episode of The Rings of Power (season 2) wraps up by revealing Dwarf politics, Nmenorean politics,

118. Yes. Elrond kissed Galadriel.
October 01, 2024

The Rings of Power abandons all lore to satisfy their dumbest desires.

117. Clueless Elves, Big Beasts, and Bombadil Inverts Tolkien’s Words
September 24, 2024

The Rings of Power's elves are simple imbeciles, the Nmenoreans now decide rulers based on what big animals do, an Tom Bombadil inverts one of Tolkien's most important lines.