The Canon - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Bêthberry · 06-06-2002, 08:56 AM

*dances a merry greeting to burrahobbit and Child of the 7th Age*

If I may be so bold as to speak up even though newly arrived at the Barrows,I would join this interesting discussion of canonicity.

Why place The Hobbit below LOTR and The Silmarillion, particularly since Christopher Tolkien edited his father's papers so extensively to produce it? The Hobbit is thoroughly Tolkien Sr.'s work.

I perhaps speak a form of heresy when I suggest that, as fascinating as [i]The Silmarillion[i/] is, it is apocryphal rather than authoritative.

Perhaps the confusion lies in distinguishing between consistency of the mythology and canonicity of authorial intent?

In my travels around Middle Earth, I have found that people who question an author's Letters are readers who deny an author any ....authority.

*curtsies respectfully and hopes her dance is not out of place, belonging as it does to the Old Forest*

Bethberry

Edit: *acknowledges the insightful post of Mithadan which I had not seen before I posted*

[ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: Bethberry ]

06-06-2002, 08:56 AM	#9
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	dances a merry greeting to burrahobbit* and Child of the 7th Age* If I may be so bold as to speak up even though newly arrived at the Barrows,I would join this interesting discussion of canonicity. Why place The Hobbit below LOTR and The Silmarillion, particularly since Christopher Tolkien edited his father's papers so extensively to produce it? The Hobbit is thoroughly Tolkien Sr.'s work. I perhaps speak a form of heresy when I suggest that, as fascinating as [i]The Silmarillion[i/] is, it is apocryphal rather than authoritative. Perhaps the confusion lies in distinguishing between consistency of the mythology and canonicity of authorial intent? In my travels around Middle Earth, I have found that people who question an author's Letters are readers who deny an author any ....authority. curtsies respectfully and hopes her dance is not out of place, belonging as it does to the Old Forest Bethberry Edit: acknowledges the insightful post of Mithadan* which I had not seen before I posted* [ June 06, 2002: Message edited by: Bethberry ] __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.