The Ring Cycle: Journeying Through the Language of Tolkien’s Third Age with Corpus Linguistics

This article explores the journey taken by the One Ring across J.R.R. Tolkien’s Third Age writings. It employs a digital humanities approach to analyse linguistic patterns in Tolkien’s use of the word ring, across The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Specifically, the article employs corpus linguistic methods to track shifts in the quantities and qualities of the Ring’s appearance across these texts. It uses techniques of keyness and collocation analysis to trace transformations in these quantities/qualities, including: a) the Ring’s transition from a central to a peripheral place in the Third Age’s narrative arc; and b) the Ring’s progress from a magical to a burdensome device, via the evolving lexical fields within which Tolkien operationalised it. Cumulatively, these transformations point to the gradual disenchantment of Tolkien’s world, across his writings: with this world falling from a child-like state of mystery, adventure, and faerie, to one of darkness, hierarchy, and amnesia. These findings contribute to Tolkien studies, specifically, as well as to literary studies’ digital turn more broadly. Firstly, they uncover the hidden wiring of Middle-earth’s linguistic development – using computational readings to map Tolkien’s unfolding language use, in ways that build upon intuitive human interpretations. Secondly, they reveal possibilities of digital text analysis – demonstrating how statistical techniques might be used, alongside in-depth qualitative readings, to “pop the bonnet” on authors’ language choices/styles

Rayed Arcs and the ‘Rory Bory Aylis’: Primary World Aurorae and Tolkien’s \u27Father Christmas Letters\u27

Previous research has demonstrated that Tolkien was well-versed and well-practiced in the use of etiological myths in his world-building activities. But we should remember that Middle-earth was not his sole Secondary World; in fact, one of the most interesting can be found at Tolkien’s version of the North Pole, in his Father Christmas Letters. As might be expected of Tolkien the impressive collection of astronomy in the letters is largely scientifically accurate, especially concerning the aurora borealis, the northern lights. This paper explores the instances of auroral references (in text and illustration) in the Father Christmas Letters and connects them to real-world etiological myths and folklore as well as actual auroral displays visible in England, demonstrating how closely Tolkien’s depictions follow scientific reality despite their whimsical nature

What Does It Mean to Talk about Tolkien and Diversity? A Look within and without the Legendarium

“What Does It Mean to Talk about Tolkien and Diversity? A Look within and without the Legendarium” considers racial diversity by focusing on the structure of Tolkien’s universe, both how it is modelled on ancient and medieval concepts like the Great Chain of Being and the Declining Ages of Man, but also remakes those models. In addition, it considers responses to racial structures perceived in Tolkien’s work

Denied, Disrespected, Doubted, and Discarded: Women\u27s Criminal Convictions and Experiences of Discrimination

This study surveyed over 400 incarcerated women in a medium-maximum security prison in the United States to assess their experiences of discrimination due to their criminal conviction. Over 60% of the participants indicated they had been discriminated against due to their felon status. Binary logistic models revealed that discrimination based on prison status can occur both inside and outside of prison but varies by race and length of stay. Similarly, qualitative results showed that during and after their incarceration, these women reported being denied jobs, disrespected and viewed as incapable of changing. Some women even anticipated they would experience discrimination upon release

Tolkien and Diversity (2023), edited by Will Sherwood

Book review, by Kristine Larsen, of Tolkien and Diversity (2023) edited by Will Sherwoo

A Different Perspective: Examining Obstacles Faced By Black Clergywomen Through The Lenses of Critical Race Feminism

The influence of Black women leaders in this country and throughout the world in corporate, political, educational, and religious settings has existed for years (Allen & Lewis, 2016). The most recent election of both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is a testament to that as their wins have been largely attributed to the leadership, efforts, and mobilization of Black women. Yet, Black women’s leadership challenges and experiences have remained largely ignored as studies of leadership have typically centered on whites and males. (Allen & Lewis, 2016). Further, despite their contributions, Black women have remained underrepresented in most key leadership positions in all segments of society. Nowhere is this seen more than in the Black church where leadership is male-dominated (Barnes, 2006). Though women comprise much of the congregation, they hold very few leadership positions. This forces the question that must be asked, if she is called, then why can’t she come? This paper seeks to examine these ongoing issues through the lenses of Critical Race Feminism (CRF) and to provide recommendations that aim to further leadership advancement for Black clergywomen. This paper argues that Critical Race Feminism provides a viewpoint that focuses on feminism, race, and power to understand the multiplicity of leadership inequality in the Black church by extending the discussion of Black women\u27s leadership challenges in the church beyond race to gender subordination

Best therapeutic practices in the management of obstetric sepsis

Background. Physiological changes that occur during pregnancy make maternal sepsis a difficult condition to diagnose and treat, still having a fairly high mortality rate. Consequently, an early diagnosis and prompt therapeutic management of sepsis can significantly decrease mortality. The purpose of this study is to review literature data that present current practices in the management of obstetric sepsis. Methods. To collect the data required for the study, we performed a search of published articles in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases related to obstetric sepsis. Research paper articles from the period 2012-2022 were included in the analysis. In addition, 145 articles from the period 2012-2022 were evaluated, with the aim of finding out in which situations the risk of maternal death is higher. Thus, the analysis included a total number of 151 articles, which were divided into two distinct stages. Results. The risk of maternal death is higher among patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), followed by Escherichia coli, genital tract infection, cancer, drug users and in the case of patients with chronic liver disease. Conclusions. After analyzing the data, we found that prompt and focused antibiotic therapy as well as fluid resuscitation are essential to increase the chances of survival of these patients

The Deer-Maid Motif in The Children of Húrin

The story of Túrin Turambar goes back to the end of the First World War, and Tolkien continued to work on it through the 1950s. Later versions repeatedly describe Túrin’s sister Niënor figuratively—as or like—a hunted deer, especially after her enchantment by the dragon Glaurung. Tolkien identified Sigurd the Volsung, Oedipus, and the Finnish Kullervo as sources for Túrin, however, the motif of a maiden enchanted as a deer does not derive from those sources. The Irish story of Oisín’s mother, Sadhbh or Saav, who was transformed into a fawn by an evil druid, shares several analogous narrative elements with the later Niënor passages. Thus, the paper concludes that Niënor can be read through the motif of the Celtic deer-woman, and that the Saav story serves well as a “hard analogue” in this regard

Amy Beach\u27s Song, The Year\u27s at the Spring (1899)

My research discusses American composer\u27s Amy Beach’s “The year’s at the spring”, No. 1 from her Three Browning Songs, Op. 44. Anecdotal documentation claims that the first piece was composed in part on the train to Boston and that Amy Beach was inspired by the rhythmic noise of the train wheels. But the text of the song portrays an optimistic awakening of nature in the morning and a sense of trust in God ( God’s in His heaven– All’s right with the world! ). Overall, Amy Beach looked to European Western Art music with regard to style, genre choice, and text-music relationship. How does this song navigate between specific Western European influences -- such as by song composers Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann -- and the tension between the text\u27s evocation of nature/trust in God and the composer\u27s own words regarding what inspired this song? In providing a close reading, I determine that in addition to all of these present influences we find in this song the composer-musician herself: a brilliant pianist whose virtuosity and pianism influenced the accompaniments of the song