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2023-08-22 08:22![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
elwinfortuna
elwinfortunaSummary: This is a short play written as an alliterative poem, where two characters, Tidwald and Torhthelm (who call each other Tida and Totta), retrieve the body of their lord, Beorhtnoth, from the battlefield. The work was inspired by the Old English poem The Battle of Maldon and focuses on the aftermath of the battle.
Why should I check out this canon?
If you’re interested in themes like the futility and sadness of war, dealing with picking up the pieces after death, the strife between practical reality and imagination, dark shadows lurking just out of sight, and the conflict of pagan beliefs versus Christianity in 10th Century Britain, then this poem play is for you! It’s also in parts beautiful, sad, funny, and thoughtful. I particularly enjoy the differences between the two characters: young Totta, with his head full of poetry about glory and death, as contrasted with Tida’s no-nonsense practical mind.
Where can I get this?
This canon is a little difficult to buy, though it has been published, both together with The Battle of Maldon and also as part of a short anthology called Tree and Leaf. It is, however, available here for download in pdf format at Reader’s Library. There is a recording of Tolkien reading the play available as a audiobook from Amazon as well.
What fanworks already exist?
There are 7 works on AO3 so far! They include stories crossing over with Middle-earth, stories about riddles, and stories inspired by the themes of the poem.
Why should I check out this canon?
If you’re interested in themes like the futility and sadness of war, dealing with picking up the pieces after death, the strife between practical reality and imagination, dark shadows lurking just out of sight, and the conflict of pagan beliefs versus Christianity in 10th Century Britain, then this poem play is for you! It’s also in parts beautiful, sad, funny, and thoughtful. I particularly enjoy the differences between the two characters: young Totta, with his head full of poetry about glory and death, as contrasted with Tida’s no-nonsense practical mind.
Where can I get this?
This canon is a little difficult to buy, though it has been published, both together with The Battle of Maldon and also as part of a short anthology called Tree and Leaf. It is, however, available here for download in pdf format at Reader’s Library. There is a recording of Tolkien reading the play available as a audiobook from Amazon as well.
What fanworks already exist?
There are 7 works on AO3 so far! They include stories crossing over with Middle-earth, stories about riddles, and stories inspired by the themes of the poem.
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