Elizabeth Solopova Explained
Elizabeth Solopova (born 20 January 1965[1]) is a Russian-British philologist and medievalist undertaking research at New College, Oxford.[2] [3] She is known outside academic circles for her work on J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings.
Life
Elizabeth Solopova was born in the Soviet Union and graduated from Moscow State University. She completed her PhD in English at the University of Oxford.[4] She is a research fellow at the University of Oxford,[5] where she teaches Old and Middle English.[6]
Reception
The Keys of Middle-Earth
See main article: The Keys of Middle-Earth.
Solopova's 2005 book The Keys of Middle-Earth, written with Stuart D. Lee, on Tolkien's medieval sources for his fantasy writings, was warmly received by scholars, though they found some issues with it. It is her most-cited work.[7] It has been described as an excellent introduction, both for students to use as a text and as a resource for instructors, and an interesting sidelight on the linguistic issues that so fascinated Tolkien.[8] Scholars have praised it as a well-chosen selection of texts and a well-researched introduction to both Tolkien's career and the study of medieval languages.[9] Others have noted that it excludes The Silmarillion, which would have demanded the Finnish Kalevala.[10] As a student text, its medieval fragments are well-introduced but too short for most academic purposes.[11]
Key Concepts in Medieval Literature
Solopova's 2007 book Key Concepts in Medieval Literature, also written with Stuart D. Lee, has been praised as a scholarly introduction with essays at a level suitable for undergraduates and helpful recommendations for further reading. The literature is however exclusively English.[12]
Books
She has written or edited the following books:[13]
- 2000 Chaucer: The General Prologue
- 2005 The Keys of Middle-Earth: Discovering Medieval Literature through the Fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien
- 2009 Languages, Myths and History: An Introduction to the Linguistic and Literary Background of J. R. R. Tolkien's Fiction
- 2007 Key Concepts in Medieval Literature
- 2015 Latin Liturgical Psalters in the Bodleian Library: A Select Catalogue – a catalogue of 111 liturgical psalters from the Bodleian Library, with details of bookbinding, decoration, and text.[14]
- 2016 The Wycliffite Bible: Origin, History and Interpretation
- 2020 From the Vulgate to the Vernacular: Four Debates on an English Question c. 1450 (editor, with J. Catto and A. Hudson)
Notes and References
- Web site: Solopova, Elizabeth . Library of Congress.
- Web site: Solopova, Elizabeth . Library of Congress . 15 January 2017 .
- Web site: Elizabeth Solopova . . 15 January 2017.
- Web site: Collier . Pieter . Interview with Dr. Solopova, author of Languages, Myths and History . Tolkien Library . 16 June 2009 . 15 January 2017 .
- Web site: About the Author: Elizabeth Solopova . . 15 January 2017 .
- Web site: Dr Elizabeth Solopova . . 15 January 2017 .
- Web site: Elizabeth Solopova . Google Scholar . 15 January 2022.
- Wilcox . Miranda . 2007 . The Keys of Middle Earth: Discovering Medieval Literature Through the Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien . . 9 .
- Marsh . Kay . 2008 . Review of The Keys of Middle Earth: Discovering Medieval Literature Through the Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien . Studies in the Novel . 40 . 4 . 517–519 . 29533903 .
- Holmes . John R. . 2007 . [Review:] The Keys of Middle-earth: Discovering Medieval Literature through the Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien ]. . 4 . 1 . 278–282 . 10.1353/tks.2007.0020 . 170900902 .
- Drout . Michael D. C. . Michael Drout . 2006 . [Review:] Stuart D. Lee and Elizabeth Solopova, The Keys of Middle-earth: Discovering Medieval Literature through the Fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien ]. Notes and Queries . 53 . 4 . 555–556 . 10.1093/notesj/gjl196 .
- Johnson . Richard . Solopova/Lee, Key Concepts in Medieval Literature . The Medieval Review . 10 March 2017 . 15 January 2022.
- Web site: Books by Elizabeth Solopova . Goodreads . 15 January 2017.
- Reviews: Elizabeth Solopova, Latin Liturgical Psalters in the Bodleian Library: A Select Catalogue. . M. J. . Toswell . . 90 . 1 . 2015 . 298–299 . 10.1017/S0038713414002991.