Just to set the cat amongst the pigeons [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ,
Do you think that Tolkien encountered many liberated or strong women during his formative years? Mrs Tolkien doesn't seem to have been the pushy type - does anyone know if she ever wrote or said anything about her husband's work?
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Additionally, at the time Oxford was definitely a male dominated society. A friend who read for his doctorate there told me that the 'Unseen University' scenes from Terry Pratchett portray the place uncannily well.
Universities are of course, directly descended from medieval theological colleges - nuff said! Isn't it to Tolkien's credit that he even included any female characters?
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Rumil of Coedhirion
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