LotR, an Edwardian Adventure Story?

[littlemanpoet]

Such clear thinking as Chesterton's is desperately needed regarding the Harry Potter books as well. Which are, really, 21st century 'penny dreadfuls'. I'd say quite relevant. A little bloggishness next, sorry: I've been in a writers group for 6 years during which my writing style has constantly come under criticism as not literary enough. Reading "In Defense of Penny Dreadfuls" is rather liberating.

[davem]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Such clear thinking as Chesterton's is desperately needed regarding the Harry Potter books as well. Which are, really, 21st century 'penny dreadfuls'.

I'd say it also applies to Pullman's 'His Dark Materials', which starts out as a wonderful EAS/Penny Dreadful & then goes downhill fast as soon as PP realises he has adult, ('Educated') as well as child (or 'vulgar errand boy' ), readers, & decides he wants to be a 'serious' novelist who deals with 'deeper' questions (interesting the way works of 'art' go downhill as soon as the 'artist' decides they're going to produce something 'deep').

I think in this context Tolkien avoided the trap by keeping his feet on the ground by having Hobbits as his central figures, & Sam as the central Hobbit. As GKC also said, 'one sees great things from the valley, only small things from the peak' - in other words, one can raise oneself, & one's works, one's thoughts, to such a 'height' that everyone & everything else comes to seem small & insignificant, not worth bothering with. The Hobbits are always looking up, & so are surrounded by 'greatness'. Thus they remain humble. Saruman & Sauron, by contrast, live 'on the heights', choosing to dwell in towers where they can look down on lesser folk (even Denethor dwells in a high place). The Hobbits, on the other hand, live not simply on but actually within the earth.

I don't know if I'm arguing here that LotR does belong with the EAS (even with the Penny Dreadfuls!). Obviously it doesn't - it has too much to say to us, it has true 'depth' & profundity - yet, at the same time it can be seen (& read) as a 'penny dreadful'.

I think Tolkien would have liked that. So, probably, would Rowling as regards her HP books. I suspect, though, if you said the same thing to Pullman about HDM he'd have apoplexy.

Or to put it another way, here's Nemi..