“For thus is it spoken: Oft hope is born when all is forlorn.”

—Legolas, The Return of the King

“Every day that passes is a precious day lost.”

– Frodo, The Two Towers

“You must either go through or give up your quest. And I am not going to allow you to back out now, Mr. Baggins.”

– Gandalf

“Dangerous or not, a real sunrise is mighty welcome.”

– Frodo

“The hands of the King are the hands of healing.”

– Gandalf

“Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt.”

– Gandalf

The word eucatastrophe (good catastrophe) was coined by J.R.R. Tolkien to describe what he believed was the essence and highest function of fairy-stories.

It is the sudden, unexpected joyous turn.

Tolkien explains, “In such stories when the sudden ‘turn’ comes we get a piercing glimpse of joy, and heart’s desire, that for a moment passes outside the frame, rends indeed the very web of story, and lets a gleam come through” (‘On Fairy-Stories’, 61).

Our latest content:

Is “The Lord of the Rings” an Allegory?

November 2018 BundleIs “The Lord of the Rings” an Allegory? by Joseph Pearce Originally published May 2016 The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. — J.R.R. Tolkien to...

read more

Mushroom Tarragon Soup

November 2018 BUndle Mushroom Tarragon Soupby Emily Wert @QueenNellie1 Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups) Ingredients 1 Tblsp teaspoons butter2.5 cups chopped onion1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (if can’t find dried, use 1 cup fresh)2 teaspoon minced fresh...

read more

Apricot Lemon Scones

November 2018 BUndleApricot Lemon Sconesby Emily Wert @QueenNellie1 Yield: Makes 12 Ingredients: 4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1.5 cups chopped dried apricots (about 9 ounces) (chops easily in food processor) 2...

read more
Stop, Enjoy the Wonder

Stop, Enjoy the Wonder

November 2018 Bundle Stop, Enjoy the Wonder by Dan Cruver Do you ever feel like your life is just too busy? Do you have too much going on, so much so that you feel stressed more often than not? If so, Tolkien has some wisdom for you. “Do not spoil the wonder with...

read more
Tolkien Quotes

Tolkien Quotes

All Eucatastrophe subscribers receive access to all our quote images! Inspiring quotes from the Professor are sure to brighten your day and motivate you!

Missing out? Subscribe today!

read more

Monday Motivation

October 2018 Bundle Monday MotivationBy John Elton Pletcher I am not uproariously excited about going back to work most Mondays, and I know I am not alone. We might take heart today by pondering one rather quirky word, unique to J.R.R. Tolkien. Working with Words...

read more

Farmer Maggot’s Mushrooms

October 2018 BUndle Farmer Maggot’s Mushrooms Marinated Mushrooms with Honey and Sage) by Emily Wert @QueenNellie1 Earthy mushrooms are marinated in a fusion of fresh sage, honey, and olive oil. Yield: 8 cups 2 shallots, finely chopped2 garlic cloves, minced1/2 cup...

read more

Bilbo’s Birthday Cake

October 2018 BUndleBilbo’s Birthday Cakeby Emily Wert @QueenNellie1 Double Recipe Pound Cake: 1 cup (2 stick) butter1 cup shortening (butter-flavor)4 cups sugar 8 eggs 1 tsp baking soda 2 cup buttermilk 6 cups flour 1/4 tsp salt 4 tsp lemon extract 2 tsp vanilla...

read more

As an author, Tolkien was a creator—or, as he would put it, a “sub-creator.”

 
Tolkien created a fully-imagined world. Middle-earth has a depth of diverse cultures, histories, geography, peoples, characters, family trees, languages, and calendars unrivaled in 20th- and 21st-century literature. Although Tolkien stated that The Lord of the Rings is not an allegory, he did say there’s always an abundance of applicability available for readers to use in their Present-earth lives and historical context.
 

Eucatastrophe.com strives to suggest new vistas of potential applicability for Tolkien fans to explore and enjoy, taking you deeper into Tolkien’s Middle-earth mythology.