Reading and Writing Workshops: Tolkien I – The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, & Tolkien Life

Reading & Writing Workshops

Are you a lover of J.R.R. Tolkien who wants to learn more about the rich depths of his mythology? This class is for you.

Starts March 3. Class limited to 10 participants.

Tolkien I Class Description

The Lord of the Rings, written by Oxford professor J.R.R. Tolkien in the mid-1900s, might just be the single greatest literary work of the twentieth century, and one of the greatest works of all time.

Countless people have fallen in love with his story of hobbits, wizards, elves, and evil rings. The complexities behind these closely-drawn tales of Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf, and company, make this mythology deeply appealing. Delving further into the background of Tolkien’s mind and writings reveals a dragon-horde of rich layers upon layers within the story.

This 8-12 week study, to be followed with a second part focusing on The Lord of the Rings in the Fall of 2014, will take you through Tolkien’s The Silmarillion and The Hobbit, exploring mythical, moral, and linguistic themes of the stories. At the same time, you’ll study Tolkien’s life, in order to understand how his experiences shaped his writings. By the end, you’ll be enriched in both mind and heart by these phenomenal works.

For You

1. Private online group setting in which to discuss the stories and respond creatively with interpretations, speculations, essays, poems, heck, maybe songs!

2. You must obtain your own copies of the The Silmarillion and The Hobbit as well as Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter.

3. Free digital copy of Spin: Taking Your Creativity to the Nth Degree!

8 Week Reading & Writing Workshops Include

• A full read-through of The Silmarillion and The Hobbit
• Discussion questions and observations to prod your thinking
• The opportunity to respond creatively with short essays, poems, songs, art (and, if any art, writing, video, or music is publishable, the chance to have your work recommended to Tweetspeak Poetry for possible publishing)

12 Week Reading & Writing Workshops Additionally Include

• Exploring literary criticism and additional readings from Tolkien tied to the books
• Movies vs. books discussion
• The opportunity to present a final creative project in response to your reading (and, if it is publishable—art, writing, video, or music—the chance to have your work recommended to Tweetspeak Poetry for possible publishing)

Your Workshop Leader

Chris Yokel teaches writing and literature to students at Johnson & Wales University and Bristol Community College, and has been teaching music, literature, writing, public speaking, and philosophy for over 10 years. He received his M.A. in English from Bridgewater State University, where he focused on British fantasy, and his B.A. in Philosophy from Whitefield College. Some of his favorite poets and authors include the guy (girl?) who wrote Beowulf, Dante, T.S. Eliot, Louis MacNeice, Billy Collins, Luci Shaw, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, N.D. Wilson, and Stephen Lawhead. He is a proud fantasy nerd, and has read a ridiculous number of Tolkien’s writings.

BUY NOW • 8 WEEK WORKSHOP $350

BUY NOW • 12 WEEK WORKSHOP $420

Photo by Bibbit, creative commons, via Flickr.