LotR book meta

[SoundingShores]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I've just now finished the first chapter. Really thoughtful work and considered analysis. I wouldn't call this a "fannish essay" at all.

I do, however, have one question. I don't see any named discussion of Tolkien's essay "Ofermod" which accompanies "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's . I don't have your edition so I cannot check the endnotes to see if you are referring to it in your discussion of Northern courage, but I wonder why you don't formally mention the essay.It is quite a significant essay since it opened to interpretation the meaning of "oftermod" in the 'Maldon' poem in Old English studies.

I hope I'm not being pedantic!

I'm glad you enjoyed the analysis!

In the copy I have, "Homecoming" is both the title of (i) the poem/play specifically and (ii) the entire work that was published in Essays and Studies, which has three parts, the second of which is the poem and the third is the essay titled Ofermod. I cited "Homecoming" as the overall title for all three parts, but you're right, it would be more precise to also indicate which part of the work I'm referring to (all three come up at various points). I'll add this later. (Regarding the translation of the ofermod line in particular, I wrote a little bit about this under footnote 17, but I'm no Old English scholar, so I couldn't go into it too deeply.)

Anyway, thanks for reading and commenting!