THIS exists in M-E?

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Son of Númenor

This tidbit just fell into my lap as I began reading Shippey's book (which I highly recommend thus far!). The chapter goes on to discuss the ways in which Bilbo begins his journey through the ancient fairy tale world of The Hobbit as an anachronistic traveler, a solid connection to Victorian and Edwardian values. Gradually the playing field is leveled, so to speak, to the point where he becomes 'worthy', in Shippey's words, of interaction with the mythic.

The LotR passage in question in this thread is one of the final snips at the tether that binds the hobbits safely to contemporary English-ness; after the first few chapters they are thrust squarely into the ancient mythological landscape with only a few glimpses backward.

Good, isn't it? Both book and idea? I more or less agree with what Shippey says here, and it adds grist to the mill that the whole 'express train' image was on the part of the narrator. I have to say it doesn't really intrude for me as The Shire sounds such a familiar, not very far-away, place.

Now on the gunpowder...an idea springs to mind...the substance clearly exists and Gandalf clearly has an almost supernatural grasp of using it in fireworks (as shown by Boro's explanation of how modern fireworks are made and how they couldn't hope to compete with the splendid stuff put on display by Gandalf) while Saruman uses it for more nefarious and bloody purposes. Maybe Tolkien is showing us something here? Telling us a lesson about the application of science in the form of technology? Gandalf uses it to make things of beauty whereas Saruman uses it in the application of war. Presumably Gandalf could do this too, but he didn't. So I think that maybe shows us something of Tolkien's thought on uses and abuses of technology?