Why Tolkien?

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Aelfwine

Clearly Tolkien strikes a chord of some sort. The type of chord might differ in each and every one of us. While I'd be glad to hear about everyone's chords, my question is more why does Tolkien strike a chord rather than what kind. Because, of course, I have some ideas of my own...

If I understand him correctly, Tom Shippey argues that fantasy is the definitive genre of the 20th century and that Tolkien's preeminence is due to his being the master of that genre; hence, "Author of the Century."

[Bêthberry]

From the mouth of a fan who posts more Tolkien related 'stuff' on the internet than we Downers do! (Yes, that is possible! )

Originally Posted by Chris Bouchard, director, The Hunt for Gollum

And if you're a fan of a particular genre it's nice to be able to return to that world briefly - even if it is another fan's interpretation.

from the link Rumil posted about the online fan film.

[Mister Underhill]

I find myself nodding in especial agreement with Aiwendil’s post. I think the reasons fans discuss Tolkien with such tirelessness have a lot to do with the world he built.

Tolkien makes demands on readers that most of the authors Aelfwine mentions do not.

For one thing, there’s the simple matter of all this made-up stuff to cope with. Even casual fans are more or less compelled to become conversant in basic Middle-earth geography, sociology, and linguistics if they’re to make it all the way through to the end of LotR. For more dedicated fans, of course, there’s a wealth of trivia to master. Any specialized interest that involves a large body of trivia is going to spawn groups of people who share that interest. In some ways, Tolkien boards share a close kinship with WWII boards, or roleplaying game boards, or certain kinds of filmmaking boards. Come to think of it, discussion of Tolkien in a roleplaying context is a sort of super-specialized interest.

But it’s not just the sheer volume of trivia. There’s a richness and a coherence to Tolkien’s construction which also invites discussion. A lot of the threads here on the Downs are dedicated to testing the integrity of Middle-earth. We ask questions like whether or not the purported one lone eastern gate and defensive bridge of Khazad-dûm could really have supported its needs at the height of its power. Besides just sheer knowledge, fans want and need to analyze and interpret that knowledge, and see if it can stand up under scrutiny.

Moreover, I think Tolkien’s creation is exceptional enough to pass some sort of threshold of coherence, beyond which fans will do their own work to make even awkward or ill-fitting elements of the invented world “fit”. Hence the many theories as to the nature of good ol’ Tom Bombadillo and RPGs dedicated to solving the question of how hobbits in the Shire are able to stock their pantries with coffee.

And of course you can also discuss Tolkien in more literary modes: influences, themes, structure, characterizations, and so on. Once again, the canvas is so broad and so rich that there’s plenty of grist for the mill. The explosion of this sort of analysis in books about Tolkien in the post-movie era has really made its influence felt on the Downs in recent years, I think.

And I don’t think you can discount the pure aesthetic appeal of Middle-earth. It’s been said that great works of art make you want to linger in the world they create. I think that’s ultimately a major reason why LotR and stuff like Star Wars endure. When people build costumes from and make fan films in the world you’ve created, you know you’re on to something special.

I think the upshot is that the answer to the question “Why Tolkien?” is not one thing -- it’s all these things and more.

But as I’ve been writing this, and the more I think about it, I realize that these are some of the things that keep people discussing Tolkien even after the bloom is long off the rose.

Maybe the thing that makes us seek out Tolkien boards in the first place is that impulse you have when something really great happens to you -- you want to talk about it with other people, especially other people who get it. Maybe what draws us to Tolkien discussion is a desire to recapture that experience we had when Middle-earth first pierced our hearts.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Mister Underhill brings up several of the reasons we're here; I've often thought there must be a common denominator shared by Tolkien readers, at least those of the dedicated, enthusiastic kind. I think that a love of language is involved, a feeling for the aesthetic beauty of words that this particular author uses. And if we are linguistic connoisseurs, we also feel the need to express our thoughts in language. Hence the inclination to read and write about Tolkien's works.

This is in no way limited to the internet, though this medium has added to our possibilities for sharing. There are numerous literary societies all over the world whose members meet in real life to discuss serious subjects involving themes of JRRT's works, and also to immerse themselves in the world of Middle-earth by wearing costumes and enjoying fun activities. Middle-earth has room for everyone from Hobbits to Elves, so its fans have all kinds of possibilities to express their enthusiasm. The depth and breadth of Tolkien's fantasy world encourages us to explore it in depth and breadth.

[Bêthberry]

Geeks rule the interwebs and Tolkien is the ur-geek.

Lord of the Geeks

(Note, this is from June 5, 2001.)