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Feanorsdoom · 06-06-2007, 10:36 PM

Well, whatever I say seems to be passed off as overly optimistic, and that I'll concede. But simply defining Middle-earth as belonging only to JRRT forever is moot, since he's dead. One can define The Canon in any arbitrary way one chooses; he'll never come back to argue. The important part, as Morwen puts it, is the quality of writing that would be considered authoritative. You can argue through vague passages in JRRT's letters whether he would have accepted new authors taking up his work or not, but don't try to pretend the Legendarium is wholly without precedent and a pure work of his mind alone. That, indeed, shows a profound misunderstanding of the work; not just an idle thought that someone may find a way to complete a certain fate implied for the Silmarils (if they are meant to end in earth, air, and water, then Arda will never be remade? The Silmarils were always meant to be found). There are many more, if disguised, hands in the works of Middle-earth than just JRRT; and he wasn't above selling a direct translation or two of another's work. Beowulf and Sir Gawain were certainly not born in Beleriand.

However, I am not advocating rewrites of "The Fall of Gondolin" or a novelization of Hurin or Beren's stories. These have been done beyond the need for any reworking by me or anyone I know of. Nevertheless, whole Ages and families of Elves and Men await to be given life. Davem says that they do not wait, that all that can ever be said about M-e has been said and that any, any, other voice would be fake. That's his view, but he's not JRRT, nor am I or anyone here. And when CT dies, that will effectively end any sign of explicit permission to handle JRRT's works from the man himself. But I say again, and thousands of works since written in Arda of the full variety of skill will attest, that Middle-earth is not dead and that to assume that JRRT would forever cut off his own work from all others under the heading of "Canon" is no less than considering it sacred. Saying that other works like those about King Arthur and Robin Hood are built around historical figures and so are qualitatively different is wrong, as much of the Silmarillion was built around existent myths and stories and JRRT took great pains to show his influences. Arda wasn't, as Melkor may have you believe, created straight out of the void, and to believe it is would again be placing it in a sacred position never to be touched by mortal hands.

I don't have a handy quote to show that JRRT would have happily accepted a new author to take up his work, but I defy you to show me one saying that he believed his world to belong to himself alone or that all of it that ever will exist is contained within his own writing.

06-06-2007, 10:36 PM	#63
Feanorsdoom Animated Skeleton Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 27	Well, whatever I say seems to be passed off as overly optimistic, and that I'll concede. But simply defining Middle-earth as belonging only to JRRT forever is moot, since he's dead. One can define The Canon in any arbitrary way one chooses; he'll never come back to argue. The important part, as Morwen puts it, is the quality of writing that would be considered authoritative. You can argue through vague passages in JRRT's letters whether he would have accepted new authors taking up his work or not, but don't try to pretend the Legendarium is wholly without precedent and a pure work of his mind alone. That, indeed, shows a profound misunderstanding of the work; not just an idle thought that someone may find a way to complete a certain fate implied for the Silmarils (if they are meant to end in earth, air, and water, then Arda will never be remade? The Silmarils were always meant to be found). There are many more, if disguised, hands in the works of Middle-earth than just JRRT; and he wasn't above selling a direct translation or two of another's work. Beowulf and Sir Gawain were certainly not born in Beleriand. However, I am not advocating rewrites of "The Fall of Gondolin" or a novelization of Hurin or Beren's stories. These have been done beyond the need for any reworking by me or anyone I know of. Nevertheless, whole Ages and families of Elves and Men await to be given life. Davem says that they do not wait, that all that can ever be said about M-e has been said and that any, any, other voice would be fake. That's his view, but he's not JRRT, nor am I or anyone here. And when CT dies, that will effectively end any sign of explicit permission to handle JRRT's works from the man himself. But I say again, and thousands of works since written in Arda of the full variety of skill will attest, that Middle-earth is not dead and that to assume that JRRT would forever cut off his own work from all others under the heading of "Canon" is no less than considering it sacred. Saying that other works like those about King Arthur and Robin Hood are built around historical figures and so are qualitatively different is wrong, as much of the Silmarillion was built around existent myths and stories and JRRT took great pains to show his influences. Arda wasn't, as Melkor may have you believe, created straight out of the void, and to believe it is would again be placing it in a sacred position never to be touched by mortal hands. I don't have a handy quote to show that JRRT would have happily accepted a new author to take up his work, but I defy you to show me one saying that he believed his world to belong to himself alone or that all of it that ever will exist is contained within his own writing.