Friday, January 25, 2013

Oxford Tolkien Spring School | Faculty of English

Oxford Tolkien Spring School | Faculty of English

Oxford Tolkien Spring School

Date:
21 March 2013 - 23 March 2013
tolkien poster

Timetable Now Announced!

J. R. R. Tolkien is one of the best known authors of the twentieth century, and his books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have entertained and intrigued readers alike for decades, becoming some of the most popular books of all time. Many people will have read these novels, or seen the filmed adaptations, but have had little opportunity to take their interests further. To meet this need the Oxford Tolkien Spring School is being organised by the University of Oxford's English Faculty (where Tolkien taught for most of his career), aimed at those who have read some of Tolkien's fiction and wish to discover more. A series of introductory lectures by world-leading Tolkien scholars have been assembled, to take place in the English Faculty, University of Oxford, over the 21-23 March, 2013. Talks will cover Tolkien's life, his work as an academic, his mythology, the influences of medieval literature on his fiction, his languages, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and his other lesser known works. There will also be panel discussions looking at Tolkien's place in the the literary canon. There will also be opportunities to see the sights of Oxford that were so important to Tolkien and his colleagues, as well as an introduction to some of the Tolkien collections at the University.
The School is open to members of the public, and is aimed particularly at those who have read some of Tolkien's fiction but are now seeking an introduction to his mythology, further areas of study, and a deeper critical appreciation.
The school will run from the afternoon of the 21st March 2013 to the lunchtime of the 23rd March. Attendance fee for the whole event is £160, including refreshments; plus an optional banquet on the evening of the 22nd March at Balliol College for £40. To keep costs to a minimum delegates are asked to arrange their own accommodation.
We believe this school will prove to be extremely popular so we recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.
Speakers will be encouraged to put together reading lists and follow-up exercises for students to do after each lecture on their own.
To register, please click here.
For all other queries contact: english.office@ell.ox.ac.uk please include in the subject line 'Tolkien Spring School'

Timetable

[For information on speakers see below]

Thursday 21st March

1.00-2.00 - Registration, tea/coffee
2.00-2.15 - Welcome
2.15-3.15 - 'Tolkien's Life', John Garth
3.15-3.45 - Tea/coffee
3.45-4.15 - 'Tolkien the Academic', Thomas Honegger
4.15-5.15 - 'Tolkien and Word-play', Edmund Weiner
Close
Informal Evening meet-up in 'The Eagle and Child' public house [frequented by the Inklings.]

Friday 22nd March

9.00 - Tea/coffee
9.15 - 10.15 - 'An Introduction to Tolkien's Mythology', Carl Phelpstead
10.15 - 11.15 - 'The Hobbit', Stuart Lee
11.15 –11.45 - Tea/Coffee
11.45 - 12.45 - 'The Lord of the Rings', Anna Caughey
12.45 - 2.00 - Lunch
2.00 - 3.00 - 'Medieval Influences on Tolkien’s Fiction (Old English)', Mark Atherton
3.00 - 3.15 - 'A Tour of Tolkien's Oxford', Maria Artamonova
3.15 - 3.30 - 'Tolkien's Manuscripts', Stuart Lee
[Both talks will be basic introductions with handouts. Delegates will then be able to tour Oxford seeing some of the major sites related to Tolkien, and also see a small exhibition of Tolkien's manuscripts specially displayed at the Bodleian Library for the day.]
Evening - Banquet, Balliol College

Saturday 23 March

9.30-10.30 - 'Tolkien’s Other Fiction', Maria Artamonova
10.30-10.45 - Tea/Coffee
10.45-11.45 - 'Tolkien’s Invented Languages', Elizabeth Solopova
11.45-1.00 - Concluding Round Table Discussion: Tolkien – The Author of the Century?

Speakers details

* John Garth - http://www.johngarth.co.uk/
* Thomas Honegger - http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Thomas_M._Honegger and http://www.anglistik.uni-jena.de/personen/thomas-honegger/
* Carl Phelpstead - http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/encap/contactsandpeople/profiles/phelpstead-carl.html or www.carlphelpstead.info
* Elizabeth Solopova - http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/about-faculty/faculty-members/research-centre-college-staff/solopova-dr-elizabeth
* Mark Atherton - http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/about-faculty/faculty-members/medieval/atherton-dr-mark
* Stuart Lee - http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/about-faculty/faculty-members/medieval/lee-dr-stuart
* Anna Caughey - http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/about-faculty/faculty-members/research-centre-college-staff/caughey-dr-anna
* Maria Artamonova - http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/details.php?id=Q200-109
* Edmund Weiner - http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/about-faculty/faculty-members/research-centre-college-staff/weiner-mr-edmund
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Towers of Svaneti

Towers of Svaneti | Atlas Obscura

Towers of Svaneti

Fortified homes of highland warriors

Eccentric Homes
1
Contributors:stanestane, AllisonEng
Life was never easy in high Caucasus. Nomads from northern steppes eager to get their hands on the riches of Mesopotamia, and Empires battling for supremacy -- Assyrians, Macedonians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks and Mongols -- all clashed with fearless locals. The list of invading armies is nearly endless.
Svans -- a subgroup of Georgians, who speak their own unwritten Svan language, practice blood revenge and sing complicated polyphonic vocal songs -- were the traditional gatekeepers of mountain passes, and since the time immemorial have been hardy survivors, the archetypal highland warriors. Every household in Svaneti is a true fortress. Villages in these rugged landscape are often too scattered to be encircled with a protective wall. Each individual house thus had to be separately fortified.
The tower homes of Svaneti are at the same time, familial living quarters, fortified fortresses of defense and personal treasuries. They offered protection to their owners and to their livestock, and also served as shelters for the most valuable possessions of every family, copies of holy scriptures and religious icons and relics. Most of the towers date back to the period between 9th and 12th century.
The turbulent history of the region ensured that these fortifications remained in use long after similar defenses become redundant elsewhere in Europe. In recent times families have slowly begun moving out into more comfortable living spaces. However, many of Svan towers still remain in use, and the village of Chazhashi boasts as many as 200.
The similar dwellings can be found in a much wider area all over Caucasus. However, the typical Svaneti towers are concentrated in Mestia district, 128 km northeast of the regional capital of Zugdidi. Anyone wishing to see the towers should head to the remote village of Ushguli.
With elevation of 2086m Ushguni is one of the highest inhabited places in Europe. According to local lore in middle ages, it served as a summer retreat for fabled Queen Tamar. Since 1996, the traditional towers of upper Svaneti have been protected as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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