What was it all for?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

Davem, it seems to me that you are changing the question in mid-argument.

I think it's clear that there are two distinct questions here, but I don't think it's at all clear which you intended to discuss in this thread. Which are we discussing:

1. Why Tolkien wrote - i.e. what his intention was
or
2. What the result was (related to the issue of what value the work has)?

Its a discussion. It seemed to me that there has been an increasing focus recently on sources & biography in Tolkien discussions - both here & in books & essays, as though those things somehow 'explain' or can account for what he created.

It just seemed to me that the important thing here is what he created - at the risk of repeating myself - which doesn't go down too well with some Downers.

For example, we can find elements of Odin in Gandalf, yet Gandalf is not Odin in another form, he is a character in his own right. For all his 'Odinic' aspects he also has a many more 'Gandalfian' aspects - & they are the most important thing about him.

So, however you want to go with this thread I'm happy.