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Call for Papers: Tolkien Society Seminar 2023 – “The Mighty and Frail Númenor”

We are now calling for papers for the Tolkien Society 2023 seminar, on the theme The Mighty and Frail Númenor, which will be a hybrid event held online and in-person at the Hilton Hotel, Leeds on 2nd July 2023.

The Mighty and Frail Númenor

 Sunday 2nd July (Hybrid event) The Hilton, Leeds (Free)

‘The Númenóreans attempted to take the Undying Land by force of a great armada in their lust for corporal immortality – which necessitated a catastrophic change in the shape of Earth.”

‘The “’Downfall of Númenor’ which lies immediately behind The Lord of the Rings, is based on my view: that Men are essentially mortal and must not try to become ‘immortal’ in the flesh.” – Letter 153, Peter Hastings

The seminar aims to examine the role that Númenor plays in Tolkien’s legendarium. Although the island was pivotal to the secondary world narrative of the Second Age, it also re-emerged consistently in Tolkien’s writing and thinking from The Lost Road (1936-37), through The Lord of the Rings (1954-55) and The Notion Club Papers (1945), to ‘Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner’s Wife’ (1965) and other late essays. Númenor, then, is central to the growth of Tolkien’s legendarium and is a catalyst for seismic change in Arda.

Although Tolkien consistently refers to Númenor as the greatest human kingdom, its overwhelming military splendour and grand civilisation mask its frailty, which only grows over time. As is seen with the fractions of the King’s Men and the Faithful, Númenor’s fall may have been inevitable from its conception. However, its legacy in the Black Númenóeans and the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor evince that its legacy is still somewhat alive after its downfall.

Papers may consider, but are not limited to:

  • Númenor’s historical significance
  • Species, race, and hierarchy
  • Gender
  • Hubris, hamartia, corruption, and manipulation
  • Political tension (internal and/or external to the island)
  • Death and the lust for corporeal immortality
  • Colonialism and post-colonialism
  • Adaptations of Númenor
  • Legacy and posterity in Middle-earth
  • The metaphysics of time and age

The Tolkien Society invites abstract submissions of no more than 300 words, for a 20-minute paper and 5 minutes of questions. Submissions can be made here should be submitted before end of day, Friday 13th January.

Attendance

The seminar will be free for all attendees (both online and in-person). You will be able to sign up to attend the seminar after the CfP has closed.

About the Seminar

The Tolkien Society Seminar is a short conference of both researcher-led and non-academic presentations on a specific theme pertaining to Tolkien scholarship. The Society held three seminars in 2021 (Twenty-first Century Receptions of Tolkien, Tolkien and Diversity, and Translating and Illustrating Tolkien) and their online setting has seen increased interest with over 700 attendees from 52 countries at ‘Tolkien and Diversity’. After the seminar, all paper recordings from the seminars are uploaded onto the Tolkien Society’s YouTube channel. We are delighted to run hybrid seminars where delegates can enjoy discussions on Tolkien in person and online.

International Medieval Congress

As usual, the Seminar precedes the IMC, which will be running in Leeds from 3-6th July. The Call for Papers is currently open for the Tolkien panels and more can be discovered here.

About the Author: Will Sherwood
Will is the Education Secretary for the Tolkien Society. A PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow and ex-teacher, Will is passionate about building relationships between the Society and educational institutes across the globe. He welcomes communications looking to engage with Tolkien's life and works.