Fantasy

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by davem

Its less a matter of graphic depictions of violence in war, more of the fact that death in battle in M-e is depicted (in the main - there are odd exceptions) as glorious, as tragic, certainly as heroic - but virtually never as being as ugly, dirty & sick as death in medieval battle actually was. But is that OK, as 'its fantasy'?

EDIT.

I think this brings up a number of questions as regards Tolkien's attitude to warfare - is he saying via his depiction of battles in his fiction 'This is what medieval warfare was like.' ?(clearly wrong - medieval battles were not such 'chivalrous' affairs), or is he saying 'This is what battles ought to be like.' ?(big moral question there - should violent death be presented in such an 'uplifting' way?). Or is he simply saying 'This is how battles are fought in my fantasy world.'? Why would Tolkien, who had seen real death in battle (he referred to the 'animal horror' of the Somme) want to present battle in such a 'sanitised' way? And do we excuse him because he wrote 'fantasy'? When does fantasy become lying?

(yes, I am being provocative.....)

Yes, even though you were/are being mischieviously provocative, perhaps davem you might wish to consider writing a paper on Tolkien and war in response to this call for papers which Estelyn posted on her LJ:

Originally Posted by Estelyn Strider

Next year's Tolkien Seminar will be in Hanover, Germany, April 24 - 26. The topic will be: 'Violence, Conflict and War in Tolkien'. For anyone interested in presenting a lecture, here is the Call for Papers: http://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/deutsche-tolkien-gesellschaft/tolkien-seminar-2/tolkien-seminar-2009/"

To make the link work: Call for papers on Violence, Conflict and War in Tolkien

I'm sure you would make a stellar contributor, davem.