ARC: A Tolkien Podcast
By ARC: A Tolkien Podcast
Charlie Lein, Pip Parker, and various guests discuss and analyze each chapter of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
ARC: A Tolkien PodcastMar 24, 2018
00:00
16:58
The Lord of the Rings Read-Through Conclusion
Join Pip and Charlie *one last time* for a relaxed, informal conversation about The Lord of the Rings as a whole and their thoughts on recording a podcast for two years. Buckle up, this is a long one.
Mar 17, 202001:40:56
Book 6, Chapter 9: "The Grey Havens"
It's the final chapter of 'The Lord of the Rings,' and Charlie and Pip are here to analyze its allusions and themes, while also saving time to debate the tone of the ending in the penultimate episode of the entire series. Lie down. Try not to cry. Cry a lot.
Mar 09, 202034:14
Book 6, Chapter 8: "The Scouring of the Shire"
The Hobbits come home while Pip and Charlie hit the homeward stretch of the series in Book 6, Chapter 8, "The Scouring of the Shire."
Jan 11, 202030:42
Book 6, Chapter 7: "Homeward Bound"
Charlie and Pip inch closer to the end of the book as they look at the real meaning of the Shire in Book 6, Chapter 7, "Homeward Bound."
Dec 02, 201916:36
Book 6, Chapter 6: "Many Partings"
Indiana University doctoral candidate Luke J. Chambers joins Pip and Charlie to discuss both this chapter and, more importantly, his article, "Enta Geweorc and the Work of Ents," just recently published in volume 16 of the Tolkien Studies journal!
Nov 11, 201940:59
Book 6, Chapter 5: "The Steward and the King"
In this special "Mourning Edition" of the show, Charlie and Pip get some bad news from NPR, but that won't stop them from discussing Eowyn and Faramir and everything they represent in Book 6, Chapter 5, "The Steward and the King."
Nov 02, 201940:32
Book 6, Chapter 4: "The Field of Cormallen"
Pip and Charlie have made it to the home-stretch! Join them as they shamelessly impugn Tolkien's own thoughts in episode 57 of ARC!
Oct 21, 201919:23
Book 6, Chapter 3: "Mount Doom"
Finally, Charlie and Pip reach the climax of the entire book. Tune in to hear about the fate of the Ring, the role of chance, and the tension between free will and human nature in this episode of ARC!
Sep 30, 201936:54
Book 6, Chapter 2: "The Land of Shadow"
Hear what Pip and Charlie have to say about the greatest line in The Lord of the Rings. Plus, a special shout-out to Jeff Goldblum--all this and more in our discussion of Book 6, Chapter 2: "The Land of Shadow."
Sep 16, 201922:41
Book 6, Chapter 1: "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"
Charlie and Pip enter Book 6 while Frodo and Sam enter Mordor--it's time to start the FINAL book of The Lord of the Rings!
Sep 12, 201929:11
Book 5, Chapter 10: "The Black Gate Opens"
Brew some coffee, pull up a chair, and listen in to how Book 5 wraps up a central theme of The Lord of the Rings while delivering an emotional climax...and then stick around as Pip and Charlie get distracted by some Tolkien-inspired clickbait (did you know Gandalf might not actually be a wizard???).
Sep 02, 201924:10
Book 5, Chapter 9: "The Last Debate"
Book 5, Chapter 9 gets Charlie and Pip talking about "the deeds of Men," greater evils than Sauron, and much more!
Aug 24, 201919:18
Book 5, Chapter 8: "The Houses of Healing"
Pip and Charlie talk Christ parallels, beautiful prose, and the book's anti-conservative streak in episode 51 of their 'Lord of the Rings' read-through!
Aug 12, 201922:57
Book 5, Chapter 7: "The Pyre of Denethor"
Join Charlie and Pip as they explore the character of Denethor in their FIFTIETH episode!
Jul 29, 201923:32
Book 5, Chapter 6: "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields"
In this special episode of ARC, Pip and Charlie are joined by Western Michigan University PhD candidate Becky Straple as they examine Eowyn's story arc, medieval "women warriors," eucatastrophes, and a bit of First World War literature!
Jul 11, 201956:07
Book 5, Chapter 5: "The Ride of the Rohirrim"
Can a chapter be both the worst and best? Find out what Pip and Charlie think in this episode of ARC!
Jul 01, 201922:33
Book 5, Chapter 4: "The Siege of Gondor"
Tolkien turns epic in Book 5, Chapter 4, "The Siege of Gondor," and Charlie and Pip are here to break it down.
Jun 19, 201922:11
Book 5, Chapter 3: "The Muster of Rohan"
Dramatic irony and hidden identities abound as Pip and Charlie look at Book 5, Chapter 3, "The Muster of Rohan."
Jun 02, 201915:24
Book 5, Chapter 2: "The Passing of the Grey Company"
Charlie and Pip report on the Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth exhibit at the Morgan Library, the new Tolkien biopic, and Book 5, Chapter 2, in episode 45 of ARC's LotR read-through.
May 19, 201923:11
Book 5, Chapter 1: "Minas Tirith"
It's a new book! Pip and Charlie kick off Book 5 and The Return of the King by looking at the Mediterranean aesthetic of Gondor and the growth of Pippin as a character.
May 12, 201920:41
Book 4, Chapter 10: "The Choices of Master Samwise"
In this special episode, Charlie and Pip reach the end of Book IV and The Two Towers. Join them for a discussion on grief, tonal shifts, and their final conclusions on the relationship between Books III and IV. Plus, stay tuned after the discussion for some on-location podcasting from Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, a place that served as an inspiration for Tolkien...
Pictures from the trip to Lauterbrunnen can be found on Charlie's Instagram, @leinphotography, or on his Flickr page at www.flickr.com/photos/leinphotography/33844691318/in/dateposted-public/lightbox/
Pictures from the trip to Lauterbrunnen can be found on Charlie's Instagram, @leinphotography, or on his Flickr page at www.flickr.com/photos/leinphotography/33844691318/in/dateposted-public/lightbox/
May 01, 201931:53
Book 4, Chapter 9: "Shelob's Lair"
"Giant spider? That's cool and all, but more importantly, let's do a deep dive on all the definitions of the word 'own.'" --Pip and Charlie
Apr 08, 201914:24
Book 4, Chapter 8: "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol"
Stories! Laughter! Scenery descriptions! Winnie-the-Pooh! All of your favorite topics appear on this week's episode of ARC.
Apr 01, 201926:03
Book 4, Chapter 7: "Journey to the Cross-Roads"
Pip and Charlie inch closer to uncovering Book 4's main theme and also answer a listener-submitted question as they look at Book 4, Chapter 7, "Journey to the Cross-Roads."
Mar 24, 201917:23
Book 4, Chapter 6: "The Forbidden Pool"
Charlie and Pip celebrate the anniversary of the podcast, look at some medieval law influences in The Lord of the Rings, and take a listener-submitted question in this episode of ARC!
Mar 09, 201919:33
Book 4, Chapter 5: "The Window on the West"
Pip and Charlie talk about time, the relationship between Rohan and Gondor, and the 'Tolkien' movie teaser as they look at Book 4, Chapter 5, "The Window on the West."
Mar 04, 201925:38
Book 4, Chapter 4: "Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit"
Book 4, Chapter 4 gets Charlie and Pip talking about nuances and contradictions within texts, while reader-submitted questions cover topics such as Gandalf's increase in power and the identity of the book's narrator.
Feb 19, 201920:30
Book 4, Chapter 3: "The Black Gate Is Closed"
Book 4, Chapter 3 prompts Pip and Charlie to discuss the aesthetic of Mordor, the power of laughter, and one of the more problematic aspects of Tolkien's work. Plus, they answer more reader-submitted questions!
Feb 12, 201925:38
Book 4, Chapter 2: "The Passage of the Marshes"
The parallel relationship between between Books 3 and 4, Tolkien's First World War influences, and our first listener-submitted question--all this and more on episode 35 of ARC's Lord of the Rings Read-Through.
Feb 03, 201922:49
Book 4, Chapter 1: "The Taming of Smeagol"
Pip and Charlie kick off Book 4 by discussing Gollum, faulty memories, and some more Shit Said about Tolkien.
Jan 27, 201917:08
Book 3, Chapter 11: "The Palantir"
Charlie and Pip take a look back at Book 3 as a whole, and also listen to the voices of the people and their take on The Lord of the Rings...
Jan 22, 201925:14
Book 3, Chapter 10: "The Voice of Saruman"
Pip and Charlie do a deep dive into Saruman's campaign to Make Middle-earth Great Again in Book 3, Chapter 10, "The Voice of Saruman."
Jan 12, 201921:47
Book 3, Chapter 9: "Flotsam and Jetsam"
Tune in to hear Charlie and Pip's thoughts on stories-within-stories and the secret connection between the Ents and Barrow-wights in Book 3, Chapter 9, "Flotsam and Jetsam."
Jan 01, 201923:32
Book 3, Chapter 8: "The Road to Isengard"
Humor and death make good company, apparently, since "The Road to Isengard" is full of both.
Dec 08, 201819:09
Book 3, Chapter 7: "Helm's Deep"
"Helm's Deep" is, uh, a chapter in The Lord of the Rings. Yup. (We're not gaining any new subscribers from this episode.)
Nov 28, 201816:03
Book 3, Chapter 6: "The King of the Golden Hall"
Pip and Charlie tackle one of their favorite chapters by (you're going to want to sit down for this) starting at the beginning, looking at the middle, then moving on to the end. Along the way, they look at how Tolkien gave the Rohirrim a tragic feel in Book 3, Chapter 6, "The King of the Golden Hall."
Nov 14, 201841:20
Book 3, Chapter 5: "The White Rider"
It's Charlie's and Pip's favorite chapter! ...or not... Still, it's here, and we have to find something to talk about for Book 3, Chapter 5, "The White Rider."
Nov 03, 201819:41
Book 3, Chapter 4: "Treebeard"
Pip and Charlie talk a little about trees, a little about beards, a lot about Treebeard, and just a tiny bit about Manbeard in this episode of ARC.
Oct 22, 201820:19
Book 3, Chapter 3: "The Uruk-Hai"
Charlie and Pip look at evil as self-defeating, events as echoes, and the problem with orcs in Book 3, Chapter 3, "The Uruk-Hai."
Oct 10, 201817:08
Book 3, Chapter 2: "The Riders of Rohan"
Did you know that Tolkien kinda loved landscape descriptions? The shocking details in this episode of ARC covering Book 3, Chapter 2, "The Riders of Rohan."
Sep 23, 201822:59
Book 3, Chapter 1: "The Departure of Boromir"
Time to dive into a new book! Pip and Charlie talk about Boromir's "victory," Aragorn's choices, and shifting points of view in the first chapter of Book 3 and The Two Towers, "The Departure of Boromir."
Aug 25, 201828:05
Book 2, Chapter 10: "The Breaking of the Fellowship"
We did it! Charlie and Pip finish 'The Fellowship of the Ring' by looking at the meaning of "fellowship," the manipulative behavior of Boromir, and the running themes of Books 1 and 2.
Aug 15, 201834:27
Book 2, Chapter 9: "The Great River"
Charlie and Pip get their notes ready and look at uncertainty, doubt, and the desolate but evocative landscape in Book 2, Chapter 9, "The Great River."
Aug 13, 201821:03
Book 2, Chapter 8, "Farewell to Lorien"
Pip and Charlie say...farewell to Lorien after discussing Book 2, Chapter 8, "Farewell to Lorien." Farewell.
Jul 28, 201824:33
Book 2, Chapter 7: "The Mirror of Galadriel"
Charlie and Pip look at "the long defeat" and compare Lorien and Rivendell as they look at Book 2, Chapter 7, "The Mirror of Galadriel."
Jul 08, 201826:41
Book 2, Chapter 6: "Lothlorien"
Book 2, Chapter 6 brings Pip and Charlie to the dangerous-but-fair, preserved-but-dying forest of Lorien.
Jul 01, 201821:27
Book 2, Chapter 5: "The Bridge of Khazad-Dum"
Charlie and Pip awaken to find themselves looking at one of Book 2's pivotal chapters, "The Bridge of Khazad-Dum." Drums, Balrogs, language writing systems--find it all right here on this week's episode of ARC.
Jun 26, 201825:07
Book 2, Chapter 4: "A Journey in the Dark"
The power of original language, journeys into the unknown, and Tolkien's questionable chapter names--all that and more as Charlie and Pip discuss Book 2, Chapter 4, "A Journey in the Dark."
Jun 18, 201820:31
Book 2, Chapter 3: "The Ring Goes South"
The past comes back to help our heroes, Tolkien brings in a little Christianity, and fire abounds as Charlie and Pip look at Book 2, Chapter 3, "The Ring Goes South."
Jun 10, 201818:46
Book 2, Chapter 2: "The Council of Elrond"
Pip, Charlie, and a not-so-special, kind-of-average guest pay tribute to the longest chapter in The Lord of the Rings with a super-sized episode!
May 30, 201842:17