Did Tolkien mean to make this relation? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Bêthberry · 03-29-2003, 08:23 AM

Without in any way denying those quotations from the Letters or Tolkien's other works, I would like to say that introducing this aspect of the Fall brings out important qualities of LOTR which might not be as readily appreciated in simply reading Arda as early England. IMHO

So, kudos, Squatter, for taking this discussion to the level of philosophical meaning. This seems in keeping with Tolkien's own feelings about simple and rigid allegorical equations between things, which he claimed in the Foreward to the second edition of LOTR as being too restrictive, limiting, and closed.

Thank you also for putting the elves in the clear light of their foibles and failings. I remember a post of Rimbaud's some time back which also expressed a similar non-fanciful interpretation of them.

This is, I think, one of the treacherous grounds in reading Tolkien, to idealise or romanticise the elves. I am of a mind to copy your post (and find Rimbaud's), to use whenever I need to help gamers at Rohan overcome such limiting depictions of them in their characters.

Bethberry

Edit: I felt my first draft of this post did not adequately address previous points, so I added the first paragraph here. I had in mind the Numenor thread. Davem, thanks for the link to your thread. I had missed it, not having enough time these days to follow Books closely.

[ March 29, 2003: Message edited by: Bethberry ]

03-29-2003, 08:23 AM	#10
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Without in any way denying those quotations from the Letters or Tolkien's other works, I would like to say that introducing this aspect of the Fall brings out important qualities of LOTR which might not be as readily appreciated in simply reading Arda as early England. IMHO So, kudos, Squatter, for taking this discussion to the level of philosophical meaning. This seems in keeping with Tolkien's own feelings about simple and rigid allegorical equations between things, which he claimed in the Foreward to the second edition of LOTR as being too restrictive, limiting, and closed. Thank you also for putting the elves in the clear light of their foibles and failings. I remember a post of Rimbaud's some time back which also expressed a similar non-fanciful interpretation of them. This is, I think, one of the treacherous grounds in reading Tolkien, to idealise or romanticise the elves. I am of a mind to copy your post (and find Rimbaud's), to use whenever I need to help gamers at Rohan overcome such limiting depictions of them in their characters. Bethberry Edit: I felt my first draft of this post did not adequately address previous points, so I added the first paragraph here. I had in mind the Numenor thread. Davem, thanks for the link to your thread. I had missed it, not having enough time these days to follow Books closely. [ March 29, 2003: Message edited by: Bethberry ] __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.