Arts

The Tolkien Professor

The Tolkien Professor podcast is a series of lectures, discussions, and seminars on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien by Corey Olsen, Assistant Professor of English at Washington College in Maryland. Find me on Facebook at “The Tolkien Professor,” on Twitter at @tolkienprof, or at my website at www.tolkienprofessor.com. I have also begun a grand new venture: the Mythgard Institute, offering courses on Tolkien studies for credit at the MA level, or just for fun! Join us at www.mythgard.org.

Latest Episodes:

624: SilmFilm 7-30: The Frame Story Jul 05, 2025

Show notes

The SilmFilm team returns for the penultimate session of Season 7. It is time to discuss the frame!

Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv

Support The Tolkien Professor

625: SilmFilm 7-31: Music for Season 7 Jul 05, 2025

Show notes

In the season finale of Season 7 of SilmFilm, Corey and Marie and Nick are joined by Phil Menzies to discuss his latest compositions!

Support The Tolkien Professor

622: SilmFilm 7-28: Episode 12 Jul 05, 2025

Show notes

The SilmFilm team returns with the second of the three episodes on the Battle itself. The hour of treachery has struck!

Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv
Thank you for your support for our Annual Fundraising Campaign. If you missed the campaign event broadcasts, you can watch the recordings here.
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIW4X_6biE7MLLGssLtApH8P

Thank you for your support for our project.
Rings & Realms:The Lord of the Rings-The War of the Rohirrim
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/signumu/ringsandrealms-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim?ref=user_menu

Support The Tolkien Professor

623: SilmFilm 7-29: Episode 13 Jul 05, 2025

Show notes

The SilmFilm Team returns, and it is time for the tears to flow unchecked. It is time for the grim season finale. Aure Entuluva!

Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv

Support The Tolkien Professor

621: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 104 Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

Maggie and Corey return for another production meeting, planning Episode 1 of our forthcoming Austen analysis!Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 104,
recorded on June 9, 2025.For more information about Signum Studios and Signum Collaboratory, visit
Signum Studios
https://studios.signumuniversity.org/
Signum Collaboratory
https://collaboratory.signumuniversity.org/Join us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET,
on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity
and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu
Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule
For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/
You can watch or listen to the recordings here.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY
https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts:
Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/
Dr. Maggie Parke
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFor more information about Signum University
https://signumuniversity.org/

Support The Tolkien Professor

620: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 103 Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

Maggie and Corey return, to invite their viewer to join them in a production meeting for the proposed new Pride and Prejudice pilot.Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 103,
recorded on June 2, 2025.For more information about Signum Studios and Signum Collaboratory, visit
Signum Studios
https://studios.signumuniversity.org/
Signum Collaboratory
https://collaboratory.signumuniversity.org/Join us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET,
on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity
and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu
Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule
For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/
You can watch or listen to the recordings here.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY
https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts:
Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/
Dr. Maggie Parke
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFor more information about Signum University
https://signumuniversity.org/

Support The Tolkien Professor

618: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 101 May 14, 2025

Show notes

Welcome behind the scenes, as Corey and Maggie record a FanTrack commentary on Rings of Power Season 2, Ep 2.Thank you for your support for our project.
Rings & Realms:The Lord of the Rings-The War of the Rohirrim
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/signumu/ringsandrealms-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim?ref=user_menuOther Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 101,
recorded on May 5, 2025. Thank you for your support for our Annual Fundraising Campaign. If you missed the campaign event broadcasts, you can watch the recordings here.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIW4X_6biE7MLLGssLtApH8PJoin us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET,
on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity
and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu
Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule
For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/
You can watch or listen to the recordings here.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY
https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts:
Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/
Dr. Maggie Parke
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFollow our Twitter accounts for updates:
Corey Olsen, Tolkien Professor https://twitter.com/tolkienprof
Signum University https://twitter.com/SignumU
Mythgard Institute https://twitter.com/mythgardianRings and Realms: https://www.youtube.com/c/RingsandRealms
Corey and Maggie's weekly analysis of Prime Video's epic adaptation of Tolkien’s mythos. Presented by Signum University and Studio Lab.
audio-only version recordings (podcast) https://ringsandrealms.fireside.fm/Want to dive deeper into Tolkien's world?
Corey is offering several free and open weekly and biweekly programs on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and other topics at Mythgard Institute. https://mythgard.org/
You can check the live schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule
More about the individual programs
Exploring the Lord of the Rings: a sentence-by-sentence journey through the text of Tolkien's epic fairy story (and Stephen Colbert's favorite https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/03/magazine/stephen-colbert-politics-religion.html ) https://mythgard.org/lotro/exlotr/
Mythgard Academy: in-depth seminars on fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative works https://mythgard.org/academy/
The Silmarillion Film Project/SilmFilm: a completely hypothetical discussion about what J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion would look like as a TV series https://mythgard.org/silmfilm/
Those recordings can be found on this Signum University Youtube channel as well as on our podcasts.
https://mythgard.org/listen/
Other Minds and Hands and SilmFilm recordings are on the Tolkien Professor podcast.For those who feel reading the Silmarillion for the first time is a bit daunting.
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/silmarillion-seminar/Corey walks you through The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and even the volumes of History of Middle-earth series on his Mythgard Academy series.
https://mythgard.org/academy/And here are more links if you dare.
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/the-undergraduate-tolkien-survey/
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/faerie-and-fantasy/
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/Want more fan/fun gatherings? Check our news and events page for moots (in-person and virtual) and online events. https://signumuniversity.org/news-and-events/We also provide affordable higher education and fun, engaging learning (Tolkien Studies, Imaginative Literature, Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Literature, and Germanic Philology) at Signum University. https://signumuniversity.org/
About Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/about/
Signum University Graduate Program https://signumuniversity.org/admissions/grad-program/
SPACE Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/space

Support The Tolkien Professor

619: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 102 May 14, 2025

Show notes

Corey and Maggie, excited by their first experiment, are trying another FanTracks recording, watching Andor, s1e1 together.Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 102,
recorded on May 12, 2025.For more information about Signum Studios and Signum Collaboratory, visit
Signum Studios
https://studios.signumuniversity.org/
Signum Collaboratory
https://collaboratory.signumuniversity.org/Join us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET,
on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity
and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu
Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule
For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/
You can watch or listen to the recordings here.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY
https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts:
Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/
Dr. Maggie Parke
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFollow our Twitter accounts for updates:
Corey Olsen, Tolkien Professor https://twitter.com/tolkienprof
Signum University https://twitter.com/SignumU
Mythgard Institute https://twitter.com/mythgardianRings and Realms: https://www.youtube.com/c/RingsandRealms
Corey and Maggie's weekly analysis of Prime Video's epic adaptation of Tolkien’s mythos. Presented by Signum University and Studio Lab.
audio-only version recordings (podcast) https://ringsandrealms.fireside.fm/Want to dive deeper into Tolkien's world?
Corey is offering several free and open weekly and biweekly programs on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and other topics at Mythgard Institute. https://mythgard.org/
You can check the live schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule
More about the individual programs
Exploring the Lord of the Rings: a sentence-by-sentence journey through the text of Tolkien's epic fairy story (and Stephen Colbert's favorite https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/03/magazine/stephen-colbert-politics-religion.html ) https://mythgard.org/lotro/exlotr/
Mythgard Academy: in-depth seminars on fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative works https://mythgard.org/academy/
The Silmarillion Film Project/SilmFilm: a completely hypothetical discussion about what J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion would look like as a TV series https://mythgard.org/silmfilm/
Those recordings can be found on this Signum University Youtube channel as well as on our podcasts.
https://mythgard.org/listen/
Other Minds and Hands and SilmFilm recordings are on the Tolkien Professor podcast.For those who feel reading the Silmarillion for the first time is a bit daunting.
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/silmarillion-seminar/Corey walks you through The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and even the volumes of History of Middle-earth series on his Mythgard Academy series.
https://mythgard.org/academy/And here are more links if you dare.
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/the-undergraduate-tolkien-survey/
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/faerie-and-fantasy/
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/Want more fan/fun gatherings? Check our news and events page for moots (in-person and virtual) and online events. https://signumuniversity.org/news-and-events/We also provide affordable higher education and fun, engaging learning (Tolkien Studies, Imaginative Literature, Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Literature, and Germanic Philology) at Signum University. https://signumuniversity.org/
About Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/about/
Signum University Graduate Program https://signumuniversity.org/admissions/grad-program/
SPACE Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/space

Support The Tolkien Professor

617: Other Minds and Hands, Episode 100 Apr 27, 2025

Show notes

In their centennial episode, Maggie and Corey talk about some future plans and discuss adaptation analysis possibilities with the attendees.Thank you for your support for our project.
Rings & Realms:The Lord of the Rings-The War of the Rohirrim
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/signumu/ringsandrealms-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim?ref=user_menuOther Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 100,
recorded on April 21, 2025.Thank you for your support for our Annual Fundraising Campaign. If you missed the campaign event broadcasts, you can watch the recordings here.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIW4X_6biE7MLLGssLtApH8PJoin us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET,
on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity
and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu
Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule
For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/
You can watch or listen to the recordings here.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY
https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts:
Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/
Dr. Maggie Parke
https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFollow our Twitter accounts for updates:
Corey Olsen, Tolkien Professor https://twitter.com/tolkienprof
Signum University https://twitter.com/SignumU
Mythgard Institute https://twitter.com/mythgardianRings and Realms: https://www.youtube.com/c/RingsandRealms
Corey and Maggie's weekly analysis of Prime Video's epic adaptation of Tolkien’s mythos. Presented by Signum University and Studio Lab.
audio-only version recordings (podcast) https://ringsandrealms.fireside.fm/Want to dive deeper into Tolkien's world?
Corey is offering several free and open weekly and biweekly programs on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and other topics at Mythgard Institute. https://mythgard.org/
You can check the live schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule
More about the individual programs
Exploring the Lord of the Rings: a sentence-by-sentence journey through the text of Tolkien's epic fairy story (and Stephen Colbert's favorite https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/03/magazine/stephen-colbert-politics-religion.html ) https://mythgard.org/lotro/exlotr/
Mythgard Academy: in-depth seminars on fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative works https://mythgard.org/academy/
The Silmarillion Film Project/SilmFilm: a completely hypothetical discussion about what J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion would look like as a TV series https://mythgard.org/silmfilm/
Those recordings can be found on this Signum University Youtube channel as well as on our podcasts.
https://mythgard.org/listen/
Other Minds and Hands and SilmFilm recordings are on the Tolkien Professor podcast.For those who feel reading the Silmarillion for the first time is a bit daunting.
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/silmarillion-seminar/Corey walks you through The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and even the volumes of History of Middle-earth series on his Mythgard Academy series.
https://mythgard.org/academy/And here are more links if you dare.
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/the-undergraduate-tolkien-survey/
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/faerie-and-fantasy/
https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/Want more fan/fun gatherings? Check our news and events page for moots (in-person and virtual) and online events. https://signumuniversity.org/news-and-events/We also provide affordable higher education and fun, engaging learning (Tolkien Studies, Imaginative Literature, Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Literature, and Germanic Philology) at Signum University. https://signumuniversity.org/
About Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/about/
Signum University Graduate Program https://signumuniversity.org/admissions/grad-program/
SPACE Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/space