21st Century Tolkien - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 05-29-2006, 02:36 AM

I think it was with LotR that Tolkien found his voice as a writer & was where he gave us his Art in its purest form. Like Rivendell itself, in LotR there's something for everyone - TH & The Sil, Smith & Niggle, the High & the Mundane. On its own The Sil is too High & tragic, 'For God's sake let us sit upon the ground & tell sad stories of the death of kings' about sums up The Sil. Its one of those books that I'm glad to have read, but not one that I actually enjoy reading very much anymore. Oh, there re moments of grandeur I wouldn't be without, clever things, interesting things, but I'm not sure its a book (especially not in CT's redaction) that one could 'love' in the way so many of us love LotR & TH. There's no-one in there that I can truly relate to. Its rather like Morris's fantasies which inspired Tolkien.

I think Carpenter's (??) analogy between The Sil & the Old Testament & LotR & the New is valid. I'm sure our medieval ancestors would have favoured The Sil over LotR, because TS is a High Epic of Gods & Heroes, whereas LotR (&TH) are stories of ordinary blokes doing extraordinary things. So, for me, Sam is Tolkien's greatest hero. He's who we are at our best - or what we'd like our best to be. Sam 'earths' the whole Legendarium & gives it meaning. The world of TS is too 'distant', the world of the Hobbits still feels as if its 'just round the corner'. They are what provide the link to the world of TS, & what give it whatever attraction it has for me.

05-29-2006, 02:36 AM	#26
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	I think it was with LotR that Tolkien found his voice as a writer & was where he gave us his Art in its purest form. Like Rivendell itself, in LotR there's something for everyone - TH & The Sil, Smith & Niggle, the High & the Mundane. On its own The Sil is too High & tragic, 'For God's sake let us sit upon the ground & tell sad stories of the death of kings' about sums up The Sil. Its one of those books that I'm glad to have read, but not one that I actually enjoy reading very much anymore. Oh, there re moments of grandeur I wouldn't be without, clever things, interesting things, but I'm not sure its a book (especially not in CT's redaction) that one could 'love' in the way so many of us love LotR & TH. There's no-one in there that I can truly relate to. Its rather like Morris's fantasies which inspired Tolkien. I think Carpenter's (??) analogy between The Sil & the Old Testament & LotR & the New is valid. I'm sure our medieval ancestors would have favoured The Sil over LotR, because TS is a High Epic of Gods & Heroes, whereas LotR (&TH) are stories of ordinary blokes doing extraordinary things. So, for me, Sam is Tolkien's greatest hero. He's who we are at our best - or what we'd like our best to be. Sam 'earths' the whole Legendarium & gives it meaning. The world of TS is too 'distant', the world of the Hobbits still feels as if its 'just round the corner'. They are what provide the link to the world of TS, & what give it whatever attraction it has for me. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."