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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

@haskoliislands.bsky.social scholar Justine Vignolles speaking on " #Trauma and #Intertextuality in Tolkien's #Silmarillion": comparisons of war experiences by #Tolkien and Medieval Icelandic characters, including important swords and rings.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Luke Sewell compares Tolkien's #Turin, Egger's #Nosferatu and the biblical #Samson in terms of dyscatastrophic storytelling - another #Tolkien paper at IMC Leeds this morning.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

" #Belliphonic in Tolkien's Legendarium" was the topic of Ali Mirzabayati's presentation, considering how #Tolkien depicts the soundscape of battle in #Middle-earth.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Rafael Pascual of @universidadgranada.bsky.social considered "A Metrical Exception in Beowulf: Folklore and Comic Effect", building on and expanding the observations by #Tolkien on the matter.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Frances Ringwood and Michèle duPlessis-Hay speak on „Woodlands in Britain, Medieval Poetry, and Tolkien‘s Middle-earth“, comparing various forests and their usage in #Tolkien and his precursors, incl. Aldarion as an eco-conscious lumberjack - another day at @imc-leeds.bsky.social.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

The day in #TolkienAtLeeds ends with @erikjampa.bsky.social speaking on „Elvo-Indo-European and the End of the Third Age", exploring a plethora of linguistic inspirations for #Tolkien conceptualizing his Secondary World. He proposes (among others) why he called Middle-earth „roughly 6000 years old“.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

„Medieval Timekeeping in Middle-earth and Valinor“ is the contribution of #TolkienAtLeeds co-organizer @jrrtastrochick.bsky.social. #Tolkien considered leapyears, necessarily (!) complicating date conversions into our world. What he didn't consider will be on #JournalofTolkienResearch next week.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

@gingerprof.bsky.social continues #TolkienAtLeeds with „Shifting Narrative #Temporalities in Tolkien‘s First Age“, highlighting the various framing techniques and callbacks that create the illusion of multi-layered temporality in the #Silmarillion. #CamiForKeynoteAtBirmingham2027

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

#TolkienAtLeeds continues with an examination of #QueerTemporalities in Tolkien‘s Middle-earth: to Pippin, time management in Gondor is queer when a bell structures the day, rather than his individual hunger and six non-fixes #hobbit meals, argues Yvette Kisor. #SecondBreakfast #Tolkien

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Amy Amendt-Raduege examines #time itself in the works of #Tolkien in „‚In No Time‘: Writing Time in Timeless Space“ next for #TolkienAtLeeds, retracing different understandings and perceptions of time, and their echoes in Middle-earth.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

The inimitable @aranelparmadil.bsky.social of @signumuniversity.bsky.social traced „Humour and Language in Tolkien‘s Lesser-Known Poetry“, including copious amounts of singing, and proving the detailed philological application of #Tolkien in his own poetry. #TolkienAtLeeds

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

„Constructing and Absolving Temporality with #Tolkien Poetry-Songs“ is Lyra Keran Zhang‘s contribution to #TolkienAtLeeds: poetry-songs serve multiple functions, one of them is the contextualizing of/through ancient/epic history and myth.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

@uofgfantasy.bsky.social scholar @mercuryreads.bsky.social reflects on #Tolkien and his characters #cruising Faerie, torn between artistic hobby and domestic duties, among others. From "you cannot always be torn in two" to "reunited in the end". #TolkienAtLeeds #LeafByNiggle

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

@annasmol.bsky.social examines „Multitemporal Drama in #Tolkien Fiction“, and how the #NotionClubPapers merge multiple worlds and times across Secondary (and Tertiary) Creations. A great start to Day Two of #TolkienAtLeeds. #Temporalities

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

In „Ecological (In)Fidelity in Middle-earth as Played by Aotearoa“, @roryq.bsky.social investigates how #Tolkien descriptions of nature in his works are an integral part of the narrative rather than plot distractions, and how well #PeterJackson adapted these at #TolkienAtLeeds.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

@ashiggins.bsky.social explores 'The Inner Consistency of Philological Reality' in Tolkien's invented languages at @imc-leeds.bsky.social. He reminds us that Tolkien was interested in more than just *narrative* consistency. #TolkienAtLeeds

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

José Maria Miranda Boto closing the #SwissTolkien Conference with observations on the practicalities of rulership in Middle-earth, positing Théoden as the perfect traditional King: doesn‘t govern much, dies gloriously = good man! #Tolkien #TolkienStudies #HisBookMentionsMe

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

In ‚Elendil: Leading through Echoes‘, Judith Klinger investigates his own #leadership and how he inspires later ideals of #kingship. From refugee leader to intermediary through symbols/heirlooms, Elendil „inhabits a space between worlds and times“. #Tolkien #TolkienStudies #SwissTolkien

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Sina and Julia of the #TypischRavenclaw Podcast apply the @economist.com Democracy Index to the Peoples of Middle-earth in 3018 T.A., asking „How authoritarian are the free folks of Middle-earth“ at the #SwissTolkien Conference. #Tolkien #TolkienStudies #Democracy

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Thoughts on ‚The Training, Character and Impact of Gandalf‘ by Matthew Dickerson at the #SwissTolkien Conference: the centrality of lament and him learning at the house of Nienna about #pity and #patience, #endurance and #hope – THE central qualities of his leadership! #Tolkien #TolkienStudies

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

In ‚Bilbo as Mystical Leader‘ Claudio A. Testi argues Bilbo exemplifies traditional qualities of the mystic: abandonment, action as an end in itself, detachment and the bright darkness. Most convincing: Bilbo goes on an adventure just for the sake of adventure. #Tolkien #TolkienStudies #SwissTolkien

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

@thetolkienist.com speaking at the 2nd Swiss Tolkien Conference in #Zurich – and initiatives on ecologically sound tourism in the #Lauterbrunnen valley is the reason a German was invited to speak about the Swiss countryside. #Tolkien #Tolkienist #TolkienStudies

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

What better occasion for my first post on Bluesky than my brilliant friend @mariebreta.bsky.social defending her PhD thesis on #Tolkien and #TolkienIllustrations at @upecofficiel.bsky.social today. Marie, you are amazing! #TolkienScholarship

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