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Hanh-Nhan, this is a fascinating post. I think that an exploration of Nietzsche's duality, especially as expressed in the work The Birth of Tragedy, is a fascinating way to look at Tolkien's work. One can see aspects of Apollo and Dionysus in the heroic characters alone, as various characters exhibit discipline and nobility as well as indulgence in dancing and intoxication, for example. This is a very effective approach to the text. Thanks for the interesting post!

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Honey, what a truly intriguing and creative post! As I mentioned to you in person, your interweaving of Nietzsche and Tolkien with Ariana Grande on top is both impressive and surprising; and if I didn't already want to read your Substack posts (which I most certainly have throughout this semester), then this one would have definitely drawn me in. The way that you break down this particular philosopher is handled quite well for the medium you're using, and I like that you go back and forth to tie in key parts one at a time to the ways that Ariana's music works. Additionally, I think it was smart to use the philosopher and the musician together as a framework for Tolkien rather than trying to tackle LotR at the same time, so kudos to your design choices here. Thanks for this thought-provoking post!

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