Smith of Wootton Major in Middle Earth?

[Bêthberry]

Sorry for the tardy response, elempi. I didn't see this until now.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Not sure what to make of Tolkien's comments about Sir Gawain in context of SoWM. What do YOU make of it, Bethberry?

I can only relate it specifically to Tolkien's thoughts on the universe of the Gawain poem, because he has clearly said that religion is absent from SWM, although it is possible to read SWM as a story about the falling away of religion and religious ritual from the true state, where song and dance and beauty and faerie were highly respected, unlike the attitude represented by Nokes. Faerie, as I understand it in Tolkien, is the realm not where Men meet elves, but where Men have aventures that enchant them. I don't say supernatural either, because Tolkien in OFS clearly explains that it is Men who are supernatural, that is, outside of nature.

Originally Posted by Gal55

All this talk about death reminds me of a curious little question that came up when I was reading Smith. The Elven Queen seems to be immortal, and has the youth and beauty of the canonical Eldar. But the Elven King lives like a normal man would. In this way, he's more like Gandalf than anyone else from the canon. But he's obviously not a canonical Maia. So, will he die? Or, can he change form, so that he will return his youth? Or, scary thought - maybe Elves in Faerie at that stage were creatures undead? Or having neither death nor (hence) real life?

What makes this more interesting is that, althouh we're not told so, but it seems that he keeps watch over the Star under different guises every generation. So he can be reborn? And/or change shape? The possibilities are endless.

This think this is a legitimate question, Galadriel55.

An answer might relate to the differing natures of time and space in fairy and the ordinary world of men. The Fairy Queen after all can appear in different guise in Faerie--she once appeared to Smith as a young maiden dancing and then later in her full appearance as the Queen. And even when Smith meets the Fairy King in Faerie (on returning from his final venture into Faerie), he doesn't recognise him as Alf Prentice until the King decides to make his identity clear.

As for the King's appearance in Wootton Major, it seems to me the story is "about" the concerns of the Faerie world for the debasement in the mortal realm, so that the Fairy King decides to enter the mortal realm and see what he can do to inspire or reignite a desire for faerie in the town. The story demonstrates Tolkien's idea that the faerie realm acts out of benevolence for the good of mortal men because ultimately that is in the best interestes of the fairies too.

Given that Smith himself observes that Tim, Nokes' grandson, will have different adventures from those he had, it is an open question about specifics. Will the mortal men of Wootton Major learn to appreciate Faerie more--or more of them than just those given the Star--or will a second appearance by the King be needed? Certainly Smith's family are receptive to Faerie even if they cannot venture into it, and that genetic influence has helped Nokes' grandson be more responsive. In that restoration of the Nokes family lies the hope of faerie which the story suggests.

Many critics have seen "bereavement" and death in SWM, particularly in Tolkien's own frustration with his increasing age, and an oblique statement about the loss of his creative powers but I'm not one for a straightforward biographical reading of authors. Much I think depends on how one reads the benediction which the Queen of Faerie gives Smith, where he was both in ownership and bereavement.

Originally Posted by Findegil

I can't see were you get the idea that he had come before of would come again later in other guise. In my oppinion Waller was the first to get the star and it is an open question what happend to it when the grandchild of Nokes has to give the Star back. But when I remember rightly Alf had have an apparentice who became master cook when he left.

Alf's apprentice who takes over as Master Cook is Harper, and the symbolic musical name is significant.

I don't know who you mean by "Waller". The star first came to Rider, Smith's grandfather, I think it was.