The Tolkien Syntopicon


Below is a list of suggested topics for The Tolkien Syntopicon. See the instructions following the list for guidelines on how to contribute to the Syntopicon. This list can also be used to aid in developing submissions to the Middle-earth Society mailing list.

List of Topics as of 7 December 1995

  • Art
     
  •  Beauty
     
  •  Being
     
  •  Cause
     
  •  Chance
     
  •  Courage
     
  •  Desire
     
  •  Duty
     
  •  Family
     
  •  Fate
     
  •  Fëa(r) ~ Soul
     
  •  Free Will
     
  •  Form
     
  •  God
     
  •  Good and Evil
     
  •  Happiness
     
  •  Honor
     
  •  Hröa(r) ~ Body
     
  •  Immortality
     
  •  Justice
     
  •  Knowledge
     
  •  Language
     
  •  Law
     
  •  Life and Death
     
  •  Love
     
  •  Man
     
  •  Matter
     
  •  Mind
     
  •  Nature
     
  •  Necessity and Contingency
     
  •  Sign Symbol
     
  •  Sin
     
  •  Time
     
  •  Truth
     
  •  Virtue
     
  •  War
     
  •  Wisdom


How to contribute to the Syntopicon:

When you are reading the books by Tolkien, keep this list of topics handy. Whenever you spot a passage where this idea is dealt with make note of the reference. Send the topic name with a brief description of the context of the reading together with a bibliographic reference. If you find that the topic of Evil is discussed at the Council of Elrond, then send in something like this:

Evil
The nature and extent of Sauron's Evil is discussed with respect to the history of the Ring.
1 LOTR II, 2

Its that simple.

The purpose of this is to aid people doing topic research on Tolkien's writing. Let's say that scholar X wants to write an essay on Tolkien's idea of Evil. Scholar X can come to the Tolkien Syntopicon and find the section on Good and Evil wherein a comprehensive listing of all the passages in the works of Tolkien where Evil as an idea is specifically addressed. This makes it possible for scholar X to quickly find the material they need to write their essay.

Also the above list is not complete. Please email possible topics as they occur to you and I will add them to the list.

The Tolkien Encyclopedia
The Tolkien Syntopicon

Hypertextual System by FMI Publishing, 1995