The Annunciation in Middle Earth w/ Joseph Pearce

Today we honor Mary and celebrate one of the best works of literature—Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.”

Get Your Copy of “Tolkien: Man and Myth” here: https://ignatius.com/tolkien-man-and-myth-tmanp/?searchid=4510931&search_query=tolkien+

March 25th marks the feast of the Annunciation when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. But this date also marks the destruction of the one ring in Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” So we were joined by a Tolkien scholar, Joseph Pearce, to talk about the author of this great myth and to explain the significance of this date in Middle Earth.

Joseph and Ben Eriksen discuss the major influences on Tolkien as both a man and the author and uncover many themes within Tolkien’s writings such as hope, eucatastophes, and Catholicism. They also talk about the true meaning of a “myth” which is not a flight from reality, but a flight into reality. Finally, Joseph gives his thoughts on the film adaptations of the “Lord of the Rings,” “the Hobbit,” and other recent film adaptations. For those who love Tolkien, this in-depth conversation of Tolkien’s Middle Earth is one that you will truly enjoy!

 

Visit Joseph Pearce's Website Here: https://jpearce.co/

 

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0:00 March 25 The Annunciation in Middle Earth

3:20 Reading The Lord of the Rings in Prison

13:05 Critical Response to The Lord of the Rings in its Day

15:41 Purpose of Myth and Fairy Tales 

20:55 Friendship with C.S. Lewis

24:28 Hope, Melancholy, and Longing in Tolkien

30:29 Eucatastrophe and the Consolation of the Happy Ending

36:15 Thoughts on The Lord of the Rings Movies

44:12 Middle Earth and Our Earth

49:47 How to be a Tolkien-Approved Fan of Middle Earth