Lord of the Rings (1954-1955), six “books” in 3 vols.
Sep 24, 2021
Into Lord of the Rings: Book 1, Fellowship of the Ring
The Wade Center Podcast’s six-part, in-depth exploration of The Lord of the Rings has arrived precisely when it was meant to—just in time for Tolkien Week and Hobbit Day! In this first installment, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron M. Hill, discuss many of the major themes, characters, and opening chapters of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy novel about Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, and the Company on Nine’s legendary quest through Middle-earth to destroy the Ring of Power.
Oct 8, 2021
Into Lord of the Rings: Book 2, Fellowship of the Ring
In this second installment of the Wade Center Podcast’s six-part series on The Lord of the Rings, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron M. Hill, dare to delve too deep into the darkening world that is Book II. Follow along as Crystal, Aaron, and David deem the doom of Sauron’s ring and discuss the themes, character development, and consequential chapters of the latter half of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy, The Fellowship of the Ring.
Oct 22, 2021
Into Lord of the Rings: Book 3, The Two Towers
In the first half of The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien the Company of the Ring scrambles to interpret strange signs as legends, such as the Ents, stride “on the green earth in the daylight.” In part three of our series on The Lord of the Rings, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing unpack the allusions, symbolism, deeper meaning, and significance found in Book III, as well as the story behind new characters such as Treebeard, Grima Wormtongue, Eowyn, Theoden, Eomer, Quickbeam, and Gandalf the White.
Nov 5, 2021
Into Lord of the Rings: Book 4, The Two Towers
In a 1944 letter to his son, J.R.R. Tolkien shared his surprise at the sudden entrance of Faramir: “I am sure I did not invent him, I did not even want him, though I like him, but there he came walking into the woods of Ithilien.” In part four of the Wade Center Podcast’s series on The Lord of the Rings, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron M. Hill, uncover numerous allusions, motifs, and deeper meanings as they retrace the lonely and tragic steps of two little hobbits, Frodo and Samwise Gamgee, and their slippery guide, Gollum (or Smeagol) in The Two Towers.
Nov 19, 2021
Into Lord of the Rings: Book 5, The Return of the King
In the opening of Book V of The Return of the King, Beregond gazes out over Pellenor, realizing that soon, “all realms shall be put to the test, to stand, or fall—under the Shadow.” In this fifth installment of our series on The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron M. Hill, explore how each of Tolkien’s characters respond to this great test. Will Théoden, Éomer, Éowyn, Denethor, Aragorn, Faramir, Pippin, and Merry be pulled down by the “ever-deepening gloom,” will they use others as pawns to accomplish their ends, or will they ride gloriously into battle to face fate with humility and grace?
Dec 3, 2021
Into Lord of the Rings: Book 6, The Return of the King
Before Sam can declare “I’m back” at the end of Book VI, Frodo must destroy the ring and Aragorn must be enthroned. But nailing down the climax of The Return of the Kingproved challenging for J.R.R. Tolkien. How do you destroy the ring and resolve such an epic adventure that took eleven years to compose? In the sixth and final installment of the Into The Lord of the Rings series, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing, along with Producer Aaron M. Hill, discuss the many partings of The Nine Walkers and various ways in which hope, in the end, returns to our hero and the beauty of Middle-earth prevails against Sauron’s forsaken land.
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