Tolkien's Literary Executor

[narfforc]

That is a good point, I wonder if Christopher is in possesion of his fathers diaries, if any existed, I am sure they are mentioned somewhere, it would have been normal for one of his generation and position to keep some form of diary. I wonder if that is what Tolkien alludes to in the matter of destroying anything. Was there not mention of a second Letters book?, there must have been thousands, I have often wondered to what extent Christopher purged that book of any dubious statement by his father, in much the same way that holy men did at The Council of Nicea, when deciding which books would fit the Judeo/Christian Myth best, therefore omitting the Book of Enoch and such like.

[Durelin]

It also makes you wonder if any of his other children felt rather cheated.

Family heirlooms can often undo families. I've heard that this was the case in the Tolkien family as well, but was it really?

Now there's another thought...will Christopher pass down the writings to one of his children (does he have children?)?

I wonder how many generations the Tolkien works can be passed down before they pass into myth...

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Durelin

It also makes you wonder if any of his other children felt rather cheated.

Family heirlooms can often undo families. I've heard that this was the case in the Tolkien family as well, but was it really?

Now there's another thought...will Christopher pass down the writings to one of his children (does he have children?)?

I wonder how many generations the Tolkien works can be passed down before they pass into myth...

Well there's a family trust so the profits will be distributed through that, and I can imagine they'd go equally. However when Christopher is gone i imagine the literary part of the will would then pass on to the Trust to decide once more who will hold the reigns.
But whoever gets 'control', I wonder if, being so far removed from truly knowing Tolkien and his mind (as only a son or daughter could) they would be? A lot of Christopher's hard work must have sprung from his intimate knowledge of his own father and what his mindset was?

[Alchisiel]

I read an article once that Tolkien complained to his wife that Christopher would call him on things in the story such as the color of one of the Dwarves' hoods and such things as that as he built the story, calling him that 'dratted boy'. It makes since then to have Christopher edit and complete his father's works-at least to me. I do wonder who'll take the reins next though-does have me worried.

[davem]

Actually, it is quite worrying. The literary executor, apparently, has the right to alter or destroy any of the works. I recall that when the movie Blade Runner was due to come out Philip K Dick (writer of the novel on which it was based 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep') was asked to 're-write' the novel to fit the movie storyline & offered a substantial amount of money to do so. Dick refused.

This is not a one off though. Enid Blyton's Noddy books have been 'updated' so that the original villains (Gollys) have been replaced by new ones (Goblins), & Michael Moorcock removed a controversial rape scene from the culmination of his novel 'Gloriana' due to objections from feminist critics like Andrea Dworkin. The original & the later endings have been published together in the latest edition.

Now, as far as Tolkien's works are concerned a precedent for such 'alterations' to the text has already been set. Tolkien himself made alterations to the text, partly for creative reasons, partly due to the Ace Books 'problem'. CT has continued the process, with his authorisation of 300-400 changes (most of them, admittedly, very slight) to LotR for the 50th Anniversary edition.

So, what I'm saying is, when the 25th Anniversay Special Edition of the Movies comes out in high def 3d we may all possibly find that the storylines of the movies & the books aren't all that different any longer.

Or even that LotR ends up even more of a 'Christian' work than it 'already' is....

[Lalwendë]

Very good point. It makes me wonder if we ought to be selecting, at some point, an 'authorised' text. But who can do that? Us, the fans? The estate?

It's also quite scary thinking about the amount of extremism in this world, both in political terms and in terms of political correctness, which is a constantly shifting factor.

Should texts move 'with the times', or should they be fossilised and preserved? It's in a way the ultimate, most extreme form of reader response to allow dogma of any kind to interfere with literature. Fringe critical views can eventually become more popular and gain primacy, and so not only will readings change but texts themselves could change. In the case of the Tolkien estate, as it grows further away from those in the family who knew the Professor, will it turn into just a cash cow to be milked?

[The Saucepan Man]

If the experience of Tom and Jerry is anything to go by, no doubt the pipeweed will be quietly edited out at some point ...