How does the study of the morphology of hobbits' feet justify their reputation as 'burglars'? What characteristics does Gollum share with cave animals? What is the connection between an octopus and the tentacled creature lurking at the entrance to Moria? Animals or plants, are the Ents the only ones to display this ambiguity?
To be presented in the Biology-Chemistry-Physics Research Library from 15 November to 17 December 2021, the "Science Notebooks in Middle-earth" exhibition reveals the scientific roots of Tolkien's work. Based on ten or so themes dealt with in the book Tolkien et les sciences (ed. Belin) and illustrated with specimens from Sorbonne University's heritage collections, this exhibition blurs the lines between the imaginary and the real, as well as legend and scientific reality, and shows how the world imagined by Tolkien can be reread through the lens of numerous disciplines, from linguistics to mineralogy, from botany to archaeology.
Mithril, a very precious mineral
« Mithril ! All folks desired it. It could be beaten like copper, and polished like glass; and the Dwarves could make of it a metal, light and yet harder than tempered steel. Its beauty was like to that of common silver »
J.R.R Tolkien, The lord of the rings, Part one, The fellowship of the ring, Chapter 4, A journey in the dark
Tentacles of the Moria
« Out of the water a long sinuous tentacle had crawled ; it was pale-green and luminous and wet. Its fingered end had hold of Frod’s foot, and was drigging him into the water […] Twenty other arms came rippling out. The dark water boiled, and there was a hideous stench »
J.R.R Tolkien, The lord of the rings, Part one, The fellowship of the ring, Chapter 4, A journey in the dark
The Wargs
« Listen, Hound of Sauron ! he cried. ‘Gandalf is here. Fly, if you value your foul skin ! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come within this ring ! »
J.R.R Tolkien, The lord of the rings, Part one, The fellowship of the ring, Chapter 4, A journey in the dark
Ents
"Most of the trees are just trees, of course; but many are half awake. Some are quite wide awake, and a few are, well, ah, well getting Entish"
J.R.R Tolkien, The lord of the rings, Part 2, The two towers, book 3, Chapter4, Treebeard
Do you speak Elvish?
« The words arein the elven-tongue of the West of Middle-Earth in the Elder Days', answered Gandalf. 'But they do not say anything of importance to us. They say only: The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. And underneath small and faint is written: 'I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs », J.R.R Tolkien, The Lord of the Ring, Part One, The fellowship of the Ring
