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Beowulf is not to Greek mythology what LOTR fanfic is to LOTR.
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Actually, it's widely misunderstood what mythology is. In fact, mythology
is fanfiction. There were popular mythological characters about whom people wrote various stories, retelling well-known myths, or hypothesizing different angles. This, by the way, is why we have three different myths about Tiresias being transformed into a woman for one year.
Tolkien sought to create a "modern English myth" -- and based on the fanfiction we can see he suceeded. The characters have entered the popular consciousness and been mythologized.
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Yet you see how I might have a certain difficulty in judging it as an artistic whole in itself, and not think along the lines of 'Aragorn would never do that. It's part of the essence of the character.'
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Certainly. There were always those who walked out of Sophecles
Oedipus Rex shaking their heads, thinking "Oedipus was a proven warrior. He would never have been so emotional...." etc., etc. There is room to disagree with interpretation of the myth. But regardless of your feelings about Oedipus, (or dragons), the artistic merit of the work should stand on its own, according to Tolkien.
The "it is not canon" argument is spurious and contrary to Tolkien's views.
- Maril