Window on the West - Exploring Lord of the Rings and Tolkien

Tolkien’s Middle-earth is loved by millions. Today, there are new TV shows, films, and books releasing in Tolkien’s world… and some of us are wary. Join Jonathan Watson, Michael Grumbine, and Dan Coats as they explore all the ages of Tolkien’s Middle-earth!

Episodes

Sub-creation is Art, Not Power – with Austin Freeman, author of Tolkien Dogmatics

March 21, 2023 • 41 min

Join us for a deep discussion with Austin Freeman, author of "Tolkien Dogmatics", where we talk about Tolkien's theology, Tolkien's approach to criticism, what sub-creation IS, and more!

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Why Tolkien is Great – with John Carswell from The Tolkien Road

March 14, 2023 • 51 min

John Carswell has been podcasting Tolkien for 8 years (and written 2 books!), but he's still on a Tolkien Road to discover more depth and meaning in his works.

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They Don’t Understand Tolkien – with John Trent from Bounding into Comics

March 8, 2023 • 52 min

Bounding into Comics reports on culture and geek news, but doesn't ever hesitate to call out the hypocrisy, double-standards, and cronyism seen in those coastal, gilded, navel-gazing circles. Jonathan and Michael talk with John about Tolkien - past, present, and future!

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Middle-earth’s Rambo | Of the Fifth Battle | #29

February 28, 2023 • 77 min

Tolkien holds nothing back when the races of Middle-earth decide to take on Morgoth. There's treachery, gore, rage, victory, defeat--pretty much what Game of Thrones tried to be.

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Morgoth’s Kaiju-Wolf | Of Beren and Luthien Part 3 | #28

February 21, 2023 • 62 min

eren and Luthien's tale isn't just a love story, it's the apex of events that sets the rest of the history of Middle-earth into motion.

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10 Ways The Lord of the Rings has aged POORLY?!

February 14, 2023 • 49 min

We TEAR APART this article that claims Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has problems that need to be corrected for "modern audiences".

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Middle-earth’s Real Power Couple| Of Beren and Luthien Part 2 | #27

February 7, 2023 • 69 min

The story of Beren and Luthien takes a dark turn with death and cruelty, but also reveals a more fairy tale side with all the shape-shifting, magic, and a talking dog!

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Tolkien’s Real Alpha Male| Of Beren and Luthien Part 1 | #26

January 31, 2023 • 64 min

The story of Beren and Luthien is the beating heart of Tolkien's entire Middle-earth. It's one of the first two stories he wrote (while serving in World War 1), and was directly inspired by moments he spent with his not-yet-wife, Edith.

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Tolkien’s Greatest Joy | Of Beren and Luthien Intro | Episode 25

January 24, 2023 • 15 min

Among the tales of sorrow and of ruin that come down to us from the darkness of those days there are yet some in which amid weeping there is joy and under the shadow of death light that endures...

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Sauron’s Great Entrance | The Ruin of Beleriand | Episode 24

January 17, 2023 • 48 min

Sauron makes his big entrance into Middle-earth in this chapter, and does some serious damage to the elves and men. But Morgoth still seems to underestimate his foes.

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There is a Tempest in Him | The Fall of Fingolfin | Episode 23

January 10, 2023 • 58 min

We delve into the first half of Chapter 18, "Of the Ruin of Beleriand and Fall of Fingolfin", taking a long look at this valiant elf's hopeless assault on Morgoth... an elf who ACTUALLY HAS A TEMPEST IN HIM, and not the dust devil in The Rings of Power's Galadriel.

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Middle-earth’s Actual Strong Woman | Of the Coming of Men, Part 2 | Episode 22

January 3, 2023 • 59 min

Who is the REAL "strong" woman in Tolkien's Middle-earth? Why do men fear elves? Death really weirds-out the elves... and why we measure our lives in milestones, and elves do not!

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Noel, a Christmas Poem, by J.R.R. Tolkien

December 27, 2022 • 4 min

This poem, titled "Noel", was written by J.R.R. Tolkien before The Hobbit was published, and only just discovered in 2013 in a 1936 copy of The Annual of Our Lady's School (a school magazine).

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Unfriends, When Elves met Men | Of the Coming of Men, Part 1 | Episode 21

December 20, 2022 • 47 min

Do elves regard men as enemies? Foes? Invaders? How did the elves treat men the first time they met them? Join Jonathan, Michael, and Dan as they look at how the Noldor (surprisingly) treated men VERY differently than the Sindar!

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Tolkien’s Disney Princess!? | Of Maeglin | Episode 20

December 13, 2022 • 61 min

Is Aredhel really a Disney princess!? What about this Dark Elf, Eöl -- even though, as we find out, his name is not the first time Tolkien uses the capital "D" Dark Elf title!

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He’s an Angry Elf | Of the Noldor | Episode 19

December 6, 2022 • 48 min

As Turgon builds the city of Gondolin in secret, the bitter seeds of distrust between the Noldor and the Sindar find fertile ground. Join Jonathan, Michael, and Dan in this discussion of Chapter 15!

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This Map is HELL | Of Beleriand | Episode 18

November 29, 2022 • 38 min

Location and placement were incredibly important to Tolkien--so important that an entire chapter of The Silmarillion is dedicated to who is where! Let's decipher it together...

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Doomsday and Dragons| Return of the Noldor, Part 2 | Episode 17

November 22, 2022 • 56 min

Tolkien sets out the pieces of Middle-earth's chess board, putting the characters in their proper places before the doomsday of Fëanor's unspoken realization bears down on all the players... and we get our first glimpse of a Middle-earth dragon!

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Middle-earth’s Game of Thrones | Return of the Noldor | Episode 16

November 15, 2022 • 58 min

With Chapter 13 of The Silmarillion, Tolkien tells us Of The Return of the Noldor, revealing that the houses of Feanor, Fingolfin, and Thingol are the ORIGINAL Game of Thrones!

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Toxic Masculinity or Inscrutable Men | Of Men | Episode 15

November 8, 2022 • 39 min

In Chapter 12 of The Silmarillion, "Of Men", Tolkien gives us the first glimpse into Man-Elf relations--and it wasn't all toxic at first (just incsrutable!).

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Window on the West - Exploring Lord of the Rings and Tolkien

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Sub-creation is Art, Not Power – with Austin Freeman, author of Tolkien Dogmatics

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Why Tolkien is Great – with John Carswell from The Tolkien Road

They Don’t Understand Tolkien – with John Trent from Bounding into Comics

Middle-earth’s Rambo | Of the Fifth Battle | #29

Morgoth’s Kaiju-Wolf | Of Beren and Luthien Part 3 | #28

10 Ways The Lord of the Rings has aged POORLY?!

Middle-earth’s Real Power Couple| Of Beren and Luthien Part 2 | #27

Tolkien’s Real Alpha Male| Of Beren and Luthien Part 1 | #26

Tolkien’s Greatest Joy | Of Beren and Luthien Intro | Episode 25

Sauron’s Great Entrance | The Ruin of Beleriand | Episode 24

There is a Tempest in Him | The Fall of Fingolfin | Episode 23

Middle-earth’s Actual Strong Woman | Of the Coming of Men, Part 2 | Episode 22

Noel, a Christmas Poem, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Unfriends, When Elves met Men | Of the Coming of Men, Part 1 | Episode 21

Tolkien’s Disney Princess!? | Of Maeglin | Episode 20

He’s an Angry Elf | Of the Noldor | Episode 19

This Map is HELL | Of Beleriand | Episode 18

Doomsday and Dragons| Return of the Noldor, Part 2 | Episode 17

Middle-earth’s Game of Thrones | Return of the Noldor | Episode 16

Toxic Masculinity or Inscrutable Men | Of Men | Episode 15

Popular Podcasts

For You.css-1r2bfgw{margin:0 0 -2px 5px;}

Sub-creation is Art, Not Power – with Austin Freeman, author of Tolkien Dogmatics

Why Tolkien is Great – with John Carswell from The Tolkien Road

For You