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Podcast: Exploring Tolkien
Episode: 153. The Christmas Eucatastrophe (and is The Lord of the Rings a Christmas movie?)
Description: We turn our attention from The Hobbit to a long-hidden Tolkien gem: his 1936 Christmas poem, âNoel.â We take a look at the history of the poemâs rediscovery, its deep-rooted Tolkien-esque imagery, and why its message of hope stands uniquely in Tolkienâs literary career.
We discuss:
The surprising 2013 rediscovery of âNoelâ and how Tolkien scholars tracked it down through forgotten school annuals and convent archives.
The poemâs Nordic and Middle-earth flavor in the early stanzasâand the âeucatastrophicâ shift when a child is born.
Song and music as markers of Tolkienâs poetic voice, the emphasis on Maryâs s...