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A discussion of the chapter "A Warm Welcome" from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.  A look at the role of Men in the canon of Middle Earth. A contrast of Kings and Masters, monarchy and Enlightenment era politics.  A look into the editing process between the pure story of a hand-written draft and the symbolism in a polished typescript.  "Thag You Very Buch". Support the show

A discussion of the chapter "Barrels Out of Bond" from The Hobbit.  A look at how Tolkien's second chapter about elves goes in a more medieval direction than the Victorian elves of Chapter 3, and just exactly what the medieval conceptions of elves were.  A look at the theistic nature of the dwarves escape from the elven king, and a some theories on just who the elven king was and what Professor Tolkien may have been thinking of when he wrote the character. Support the show

An examination of "Flies and Spiders" from The Hobbit.  The historical and archetypal uses of forests, and the evolution of spiders from the role of creators to the role of villains.  The progression of Bilbo from afterthought to real hero. Support the show

An examination of "Queer Lodgings" from The Hobbit.  A look at Gandalf's playbook from the other side, and the historic power - but not malice - of bears.  A look at how The Hobbit begins to intentionally imitate Anglo Saxon literature and tradition.   Support the show

Looking at Chapter 6 of The Hobbit, "Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire," we meet wolves (or wargs) and eagles.  So we look at the uses of wolves and eagles throughout myth and folklore, and we examine what it means for Bilbo and company to no longer be menaced by mythic, fairy tale creatures, but to be menaced by the wild itself, and saved by the wild itself. Support the show

The chapter where everything changes (between 1937 and 1951, that is).  Gollum!  and the Ring!  Riddles and all of their history, and a look at the competing theologies of Comfort and Destruction. All this, and More... Support the show

A look at Giants and at Goblins as Bilbo and Company head up into and then under the mountains.  A look at the song of the goblins and at the prophetic nature of dreams. Support the show

Exploring chapter 3 of The Hobbit, including the mythic history of elves both within Tolkien's world and without, and how elves were used in Canterbury Tales, and how they came to be associated with Christmas. We look at the song and poetry of the elves.  And we explore the idea that "things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale." Support the show

In this episode we look at Chapter 2 of The Hobbit, "Roast Mutton."  We talk about they mythic history of trolls and how the many incarnations they have had through the millennia.  We talk about the opening stages of Bilbo's journey towards the Lonely Mountain, and how it looked when Tolkien first wrote it versus how he would have liked for it to look at the end of his life, we talk about Bilbo's incredible luck and we play with the idea that, by chapter 2, the story still really hasn't finished growing up yet. Support the show

In this episode we look at Chapter 1 of The Hobbit.  Even though Hobbits are a race entirely of Tolkien's own creation, we look at some of the mythic and historical forbearers of hobbits, and of how Tolkien used and altered them.  We look at the voice of the narrator, and just how much he knows.  We look at the songs of the dwarves, and discuss the roles of poetry and of prose in Tolkien and in general. Support the show

An Introduction!  West of Valinor's Inaugural Episode introduces fans of Middle Earth to just exactly how The Hobbit was written (and when.  and why.)  It goes through where Tolkien got some of his earliest inspirations, and the mythic histories of Dwarves and of Wizards. Support the show