Fantasy Literature

A talk by Dr Laura Varnam on Tolkien's long engagement with the Old English poem 'Beowulf' as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. A talk by Dr Laura Varnam, University College, Oxford, on Tolkien's long engagement with the Old English poem 'Beowulf'. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and hosted by Exeter College and the Faculty of English.

A talk by PhD candidate Grace Khuri, University of Oxford, on Tolkien's Elvish history and English 'mythology', as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. A talk by PhD candidate Grace Khuri, University of Oxford, on Tolkien's Elvish history and English 'mythology'.. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and hosted by Exeter College and the Faculty of English.

A talk by Professor Giuseppe Pezzini on the influences of Classical Literature on Tolkien. [Audio only] A talk by Professor Giuseppe Pezzini, Faculty of Classics, Oxford, on the influences of Classical Literature on Tolkien.. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and hosted by Exeter College and the Faculty of English.

Audio only recording by Dr Michael Ward, Faculty of Theology, University of Oxford, as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. [Audio only] Consideration of the climax to 'The Lord of the Rings' and in particular events at the Field of Cormallen. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and hosted by Exeter College and the Faculty of English.

A lecture by Dr S Lee as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. A look at how Tolkien wrote 'The Lord of the Rings' and what lessons can be learnt from this. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and hosted by Exeter College and the Faculty of English.

Dr Caroline Batten and Dr Megan Cavell discuss fantastic animals in fantasy text Dr Caroline Batten and Dr Megan Cavell discuss fantastic animals in fantasy texts, from their classical origins to the modern day. Topics include medieval bestiaries, The Last Unicorn, dragons and their mothers, Donkey's romantic arc in Shrek, the queerness of Ursula the Sea Witch, and the monstrosity of gender.

Dr Caroline Batten chats with author Katherine Langrish about her book 'From Spare Oom to War Drobe' Dr Caroline Batten chats with author Katherine Langrish about her book 'From Spare Oom to War Drobe: Travels in Narnia with My Nine-Year-Old Self'. Topics include Plato, medieval romance, racism in fantasy, the importance of fanfiction, the problem of Susan, and The Pilgrim's Progress.

A short discussion of the role of faith in fantasy literature A short discussion of the role of faith in fantasy literature looking at the novels of James Islington's Licanius Trilogy, and Tasha Sri's 'Realm of Ash'. The talk is given by Katherine Olley, JRF at Oxford.

A discussion of the writer Brian McClellan. A look at Brian McClellan, author of The Powder Mage trilogy. This talk is presented by Katherine Olley, JRF at Oxford.

A discussion of the influence of 'The Wind in the Willows' on fantasy writers - notably C. S. Lewis A discussion of the influence of 'The Wind in the Willows' on fantasy writers - notably C. S. Lewis. the talk is by Professor Simon Horobin, Magdalen College, Oxford.

A biographical tour of C. S. Lewis's Oxford Using the geographic touch points in Oxford, Professor Simon Horobin of Magdalen College, Oxford interweaves a biography of C. S. Lewis, his relationships with other writers, and the influences on his fantasy works. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

An interview with Rachael Marsay about the William Morris and E. R. Eddison collections at the Bodleian Library An interview with Rachael Marsay about the William Morris and E. R. Eddison collections at the Bodleian Library. This covers the illuminated manuscripts of Morris, and the letters, drafts, and juvenilia of Eddison. Rachael Marsay is the Roy Davids Archivist at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. l Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

A discussion of the writer Elizabeth Knox An analysis and discussion of the contemporary fantasy writer Elizabeth Know, by Dr Alicia Smith. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

An Interview with Elizabeth Knox, author of 'The Absolute Book' Carolyne Larrington interviews critically-acclaimed fantasy author Elizabeth Knox about The Absolute Book, arcane thrillers, fairy realms, dream visitations from Norse gods, and the merits of school stories.

Carolyne Larrington and Caroline Batten interview Rebecca F. Kuang. Carolyne Larrington and Caroline Batten interview Rebecca F. Kuang, award-winning fantasy author of the Poppy War trilogy and the forthcoming Babel: An Arcane History, about style, influence, responding to fantasy tropes, military strategy, and shamanism.

Laura Varnam discusses dragons in fantasy literature. Laura Varnam discusses dragons in fantasy literature, exploring the ways in which the dragon of Beowulf inspired Tolkien in his writing of Smaug, allowed Maria Dahvana Headley to explore female power in her 2020 interpretation of the text, and gave Varnam herself new material for two original poems, read here for the first time.

Author Maria Dahvana Headley reads from her 2018 novel The Mere Wife, is interviewed by Prof. Carolyne Larrington, and shares drafts from her 2020 translation of Beowulf. This lecture was recorded live at St John’s College, Oxford in November 2018. Author Maria Dahvana Headley reads from her 2018 novel The Mere Wife, is interviewed by Prof. Carolyne Larrington, and shares drafts from her 2020 translation of Beowulf. This lecture was recorded live at St John’s College, Oxford in November 2018.

An introduction to the Victorian fantasist and fairy tale author George MacDonald, who convinced Lewis Carroll to publish Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, inspired C. S. Lewis' Christian writings, and may even have influenced Tolkien's Elves. An introduction to the Victorian fantasist and fairy tale author George MacDonald, who convinced Lewis Carroll to publish Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, inspired C. S. Lewis' Christian writings, and may even have influenced Tolkien's Elves.

A talk on Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods'. A talk by Professor Heather O'Donoghue, Lincoln College, Oxford on Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods' and in particular the relationship to Old Norse mythology, and the issues of immigration and modern-day America. Professor O'Donoghue is Professor of Old Norse and Vigfusson Rausing Reader in Ancient Icelandic Literature and Antiquities at the University of Oxford.

A short talk introducing Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels and how they reflect the modern University. A short talk introducing Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels and how they reflect the modern University, by Andrew Shamel, Chaplain of Lincoln College, Oxford.

A short talk on Susan Cooper. A short talk on Susan Cooper, whose children's fantasy literature books are often labelled as being part of the 'Oxford School'. The talk is by Tom Morcom, DPhil (Old Norse), Linacre College.

A short talk on Daoxuan and medieval Chinese fantasy. A short talk on Daoxuan and medieval Chinese fantasy by Nelson Landry, DPhil student at the Oriental Institute, University of Oxford.

An interview with Catherine McIlwaine on the Tolkien archive at Bodley and the exhibition of 2018 - Part 2 Interview with Catherine McIlwaine, Tolkien Archivist at the Bodleian. This second part deals with the 2018 exhibition itself, putting it together, and feedback from visitors.

An interview with Catherine McIlwaine on the Tolkien archive at Bodley and the exhibition of 2018 - Part 1. Interview with Catherine McIlwaine, the Tolkien Archivist, by Stuart Lee on the Tolkien archive at Bodley. Part one contains details about the history of the archive, its relationship to the collection at Marquette University, how the collection came to be at Oxford and what it contains.

This lecture is an introduction to J.R.R. Tolkien's third major work, 'The Silmarillion' (1977), and considers its lengthy development in numerous prose and verse texts over fifty years. This lecture offers a guided tour through the development of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Silmarillion' corpus, inclusive of The Silmarillion (1977) and the earlier versions of the same work published in the History of Middle Earth series (1983-1996). The most mythological and magisterial of Tolkien's major works, the 1977 Silmarillion (and its antecedents) gives the reader a very different experience and perspective than his more famous and widely read works, The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955). A mythology in the true sense, the 'Silmarillion' corpus is peopled with gods and other preternatural beings and represents the earliest comprehensive work of Tolkien's imagination. Since it was begun in earnest in the middle of the First World War, one of the most turbulent periods in modern history, its tone is more sober and its events more tragic than those of his other classics, but its powerful messages of nobility in the face of defeat and courage in darkness resonate with the world events of the time in which it was produced.

An analysis of two forms that dominate fantasy literature. Prosimetrum, the alternation between verse and prose as a narrative form, was an extremely popular form of writing in the ancient and medieval world. This talk asks why prosimetrum has survived as a literary form in modern fantasy literature and explores how fantasy writers like Tolkien and Kay employ shifts between verse and prose to dramatic effect within their work. Dr Katherine Marie Olley is the VH Galbraith Junior Research Fellow in Medieval Studies at St Hilda’s College, Oxford where she is currently researching childbirth in Old Norse literature and society. She studied Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge (BA Hons, MPhil) and received her doctorate from the University of Cambridge in 2019 for her dissertation on kinship in Old Norse myth and legend.

A short introduction to the writer Guy Gavriel Kay. An introduction to the novels of Guy Gavriel Kay, examining his development as a writer from his early high fantasy roots to his later more historically-inspired novels. The talk discusses the dominant themes in Kay’s work, from his reflections on the retrospective construction of history to his enduring fascination with the power of art. Dr Katherine Marie Olley is the VH Galbraith Junior Research Fellow in Medieval Studies at St Hilda’s College, Oxford where she is currently researching childbirth in Old Norse literature and society. She studied Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge (BA Hons, MPhil) and received her doctorate from the University of Cambridge in 2019 for her dissertation on kinship in Old Norse myth and legend.

Monsters and evil in Tolkien Smaug the Golden, Sauron the Terrible, the Balrog of Moria... These are some of J. R. R. Tolkien's most remarkable antagonists, and few of us would disagree that, without them, his novels would not be the same. But what is the secret of their success as monstrous antagonists? Discover the answer in this twenty-minute podcast. Rafael J. Pascual is a Postdoctoral Research Assistant at CLASP: A Consolidated Library of Anglo-Saxon Poetry, an EU-funded project based at the Oxford Faculty of English Language and Literature. He is also a Junior Research Fellow at New College and a Lecturer in Early Medieval English Literature at Magdalen College, Oxford. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Granada (2014), with a dissertation on the dating and textual criticism of 'Beowulf', on the strength of which he gained a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University.

Carolyne Larrington introduces the writing of Sylvia Townsend Warner. Carolyne Larrington introduces the writing of Sylvia Townsend Warner whose first novel 'Lolly Willowes' (1926) is a feminist fantasy classic, and whose last collection of short stories, 'Kingdoms of Elphin' (1977) makes play with European fairy traditions. Townsend Warner has recently been rediscovered as one of the most important English women fantasy writers of the twentieth century.

A brief introduction to the writer Ursula K. Le Guin. Caroline Batten offers a basic introduction to author Ursula K. Le Guin's life, work, and lasting impact on the genres of fantasy and science fiction. This ten-minute lecture is based on a talk given at 'Here Be Dragons': The Oxford Fantasy Literature Summer School in 2018. Caroline Batten is a doctoral researcher in Old English and Old Norse literature at the University of Oxford. Her doctoral thesis is the first stylometric analysis of the Old English metrical charms, and her scholarship more broadly examines gender and sexuality in Old English and Old Norse texts in relation to magic and the supernatural, understandings of disease and the body, and performative speech. She earned her M.Phil from the University of Oxford and her B.A. from Swarthmore College, and currently teaches medieval English literature at Worcester College and St. John’s College, Oxford.

A brief introduction to the writer T. H. White. This short lecture introduces T.H.White, focusing on his Arthurian epic 'The Once and Future King' and its relation to Sir Thomas Malory’s 'Le Morte Darthur'. Gabriel Schenk completed his DPhil at Pembroke College in 2014. His thesis analyses depictions of King Arthur, focusing on a period spanning the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries when the figure of Arthur became increasingly protean and multifaceted. He lectures online at Signum University, teaching courses on cultural histories, Arthuriana, and the works of the Inklings. He has also taught small groups and individuals in Uganda, Poland, Turkey, and across the UK. He is one of the founders and organisers of the Pembroke Tolkien Lecture on Fantasy Literature – an annual lecture that promotes the study of fantasy, science-fiction, and other types of speculative fiction – and works for the literary estates of Owen Barfield and P.H. Newby.

A brief introduction to the writer Diana Wynne Jones. This short lecture outlines Diana Wynne Jones’s early life, her major works, and a core element of her writing: the combination of different images and sources to create new, joyful stories. Gabriel Schenk completed his DPhil at Pembroke College in 2014. His thesis analyses depictions of King Arthur, focusing on a period spanning the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries when the figure of Arthur became increasingly protean and multifaceted. He lectures online at Signum University, teaching courses on cultural histories, Arthuriana, and the works of the Inklings. He has also taught small groups and individuals in Uganda, Poland, Turkey, and across the UK. He is one of the founders and organisers of the Pembroke Tolkien Lecture on Fantasy Literature – an annual lecture that promotes the study of fantasy, science-fiction, and other types of speculative fiction – and works for the literary estates of Owen Barfield and P.H. Newby.

'Game of Thrones' and storytelling. In 'Why Game of Thrones Matters', Carolyne Larrington discusses some reasons for the popularity of the HBO series, explores some of its principal themes and considers ways in which it both is – and isn't – like other epic fantasies. Carolyne Larrington teaches medieval English literature at St John's College, Oxford. She is the author of 'Winter is Coming: the Medieval World of Game of Thrones' (Bloomsbury, 2015) and her new book on the show, 'All Men Must Die' is forthcoming from Bloomsbury later this year.

A guest lecture by Dr Maria Cecire (Bard College) discussing children's fantasy literature. Maria Sachiko Cecire introduces the idea of an Oxford School of children’s fantasy literature, describing how J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis pushed back against "modern" cultural changes in the first half of the 20th-century through both the fiction they wrote while medievalists at the University of Oxford and as the architects of a new English curriculum that inspired future fantasy writers including Susan Cooper, Diana Wynne Jones, and Philip Pullman. Cecire addresses the after-effects of this legacy, with an emphasis on the colonialist fantasies of white male heroism that circulated in the genre well after the end of empire and 21st-century responses by authors (such as Junot Díaz) whose fiction reclaims enchantment for audiences often excluded by mainstream fantasy. This lecture has been adapted from material published by the University of Minnesota Press in Cecire's book 'Re-Enchanted: The Rise of Children’s Fantasy Literature in the Twentieth Century' (available at: https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/re-enchanted). Maria Sachiko Cecire is Associate Professor of Literature and Director of the Center for Experimental Humanities at Bard College (USA). She is the author of 'Re-Enchanted: The Rise of Children’s Fantasy Literature in the Twentieth Century' (University of Minnesota Press, 2019), and co-editor of 'Space and Place in Children’s Literature, 1789-Present' (Routledge, 2015) with Hannah Field, Kavita Mudan Finn, and Malini Roy.

An Interview with Dr Catherine Butler, author of the book 'Four British Fantasists'. An interview with Dr Catherine Butler (Cardiff University) by Will Brockbank (Oxford). Dr Butler has contributed much to fantasy literature studies, most notably her book 'Four British Fantasists'. The interview looks at the definition of fantasy, the 'Oxford School', the relationship between children's writing and fantasy covering a range of writers - J. R. R. Tolkien, Alan Garner, Susan Cooper, and Philip Pullman. Will Brockbank is a DPhil candidate in Old English and Old Norse language and literature at Jesus College, Oxford. He fondly remembers childhood bedtime readings of 'The Hobbit' with his dad. Little did he expect back then that he would later do his MPhil in Medieval English at Pembroke College, where Tolkien was Professor of Anglo-Saxon from 1925 to 1945. When he is not grappling with 'Beowulf' and the 'Poetic Edda', Will is usually dreaming of the islands of the North Atlantic.

A brief introduction to the British fantasy writer, Alan Garner. This short lecture offers an overview of the fantasy writer Alan Garner's early fiction, from 'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen' to 'Red Shift', and traces several of Garner's mythological sources and the central themes of his work. Felix Taylor is a DPhil candidate in English at St Hugh's College. His thesis explores the influence of Welsh mythology and folklore in twentieth-century British fiction.

A brief introduction to the writer, H. P. Lovecraft. A brief introduction to the American writer H. P. Lovecraft, the master of 'weird fiction'. The talk explores the definition of fantasy literature, why Lovecraft could be considered a writer of fantasy, his life and stories, and critiquing his works.

A short introduction to reading and studying fantasy literature. This shortened version of a lecture seeks to introduce the listener to the concept of fantasy literature. It begin by looking at how one can define the genre of fantasy and what texts it might, or might not contain. We look at two standard approaches adopted by scholars - the chronological 'long history' of fantasy, and common tropes, structures, and motifs. The talk touches briefly on world-building and immersion, engaging with Tolkien's essay 'On Fairy-stories'.