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Originally Posted by LadyBrooke
What I think you do believe (and please correct me if I’m wrong) is that it is Tolkien’s responsibility to show the reality of war in his books because otherwise people might get the wrong view of war. I have to disagree you that it is his responsibility (and I am probably biased as a writer and artist) because I believe that a writer’s utmost responsibility is to write the story that they want.
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Well, I'm just asking whether he
should show the reality of war, & not so much whether people might get the 'wrong' view of war, but
what kind of view of war they're being given, & why Tolkien chose to present war in that way. If Tolkien chose to depict war in one way rather than another why did he make that choice, & how does that affect the reader's perception of war? Do we gain something by having war & death in battle presented in Tolkien's 'romantic/elegiac' way, & if we do gain something by it what is that, & is what we gain good or bad? Do we lose something, & equally, is what we lose good or bad?
To expand the question I could ask, what was Tolkien's attitude to war, & did the way he presented it in LotR reflect his true feelings about it. Some have suggested that he was as 'graphic' & realistic in his depiction as the times (1940's) allowed in a novel, or as the genre he was writing in (epic romance) allowed. But is that true - is that the only reason for his choice? Does fantasy give carte blanche to an author? We've all seen the regular attacks on LotR that it is 'racist' - let's say it
was blatantly racist, would the justification that 'Its fantasy' be acceptable? I'd say not (personal opinion).
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I don’t read LotR and expect a realistic view of war.
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But do you expect an
unrealistic view of it?.