Michael Wilhelmson -
First of all, welcome to the Downs! I'm always glad to see a new poster coming in with interesting ideas.
I do, however, want to voice some reservations about the analogies you are suggesting. Tolkien was very explicit that his work should not be viewed as "allegory". Unlike his friend C. S. Lewis, JRRT was not comfortable with direct symbolism. And that is what I sensed you were suggesting in your own post, although I could be mistaken in my reading.
This quote comes from the foreward to the second edition:
Quote:
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Other arrangements could be devised according to the tastes or views of those who like allegory or topical reference. But I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and weary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that "many "confuse "applicability" with "allegory"; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed determination of the author.
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I guess what I am asking is this.... Are you suggesting that Tolkien "meant" to place these particular analogies within his text? If so, I do not agree. Or are you merely saying that when you read the story, it sometimes reminds you of other things, and the list of names that you present are personal examples of this?
I can understand and sympathize with the latter. My own list of "personal" mental analogies would look nothing like your own. However, I do admit that some Tolkien characters remind me slightly of other individuals or characters whom I've met in history or in other literary works. And the same would be true for "peoples" and "institutions" and "places".
Before I go any further into this, it would be helpful if you clarified the meaning of your first post on the thread so I'm sure we're both going in the same general direction.
Many thanks, and, again, welcome to the Downs!