Northern Air

[Lalwendë]

Do not laugh! But once upon a time (my crest has long since fallen) I had a mind to make a body of more or less connected legend, ranging from the large and cosmogonic, to the level of fairy story - the larger founded on the lesser in contact with the earth, the lesser drawing splendour from the large backcloths - which I could dedicate simply to: to England; to my country. It should possess the tone and quality that I desired, somewhat cool and clear, be redolent of our 'air' (the clime and soil of the North West, meaning Britain and the hither parts of Europe: not Italy or the Aegean, still less the East), and, while possessing (if I could achieve it) the fair elusive beauty that some call Celtic (though it is rarely found in genuine ancient Celtic things), it should be 'high', purged of the gross, and fit for the more adult mind of a land now steeped in poetry. I would draw some of the great tales in fullness, and leave many only placed in the scheme, and sketched. The cycles should be linked to a majestic whole, and yet leave scope for other minds and hands, wielding paint and music and drama. Absurd.

So where do you find this Northern air?

For me, the supreme section has to be the Kinslaying and the flight of the Noldor. The Prophecy of the North. The Crossing of the Helcaraxe. The Burning of the Ships.

I have always thrilled to hear stories like that - violent, epic and glacially cool. It might be the Viking blood in me calling out for such thrills, but when I hear about Feanor's deeds, no matter how bad he is, I just love it. I get the sense of sitting in a Longhouse with the fire blazing while the wind howls outside and a storyteller relates the tale. All it needs is a ruddy big dragon to descend with flames of fury to make it complete.

This kind of writing, together with the intimate re-imaginings of folklore (e.g. Tom and the Hobbits), is to me where Tolkien really excels. He just tells the story, no matter how violent, with no narratorial interruptions or asides, and it's left to you, the listener, to get your kicks. It's fey and fell and all of that.

Does anyone else get the urge to go on a rampage and burn a few ships after reading that kind of thing?

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

All it needs is a ruddy big dragon to descend with flames of fury to make it complete.

This kind of writing, together with the intimate re-imaginings of folklore (e.g. Tom and the Hobbits), is to me where Tolkien really excels. He just tells the story, no matter how violent, with no narratorial interruptions or asides, and it's left to you, the listener, to get your kicks. It's fey and fell and all of that.

Does anyone else get the urge to go on a rampage and burn a few ships after reading that kind of thing?

I rather think that such desire to rampage in the Primary World is not Tolkien-endorsed and defeats the purpose of Tolkien's concept of fairie.

Originally Posted by Tolkien, On Fairy-Stories

The dragon had the trade-mark Of Faërie written plainly upon him. In whatever world he had his being it was an Other-world. Fantasy, the making or glimpsing of Other-worlds, was the heart of the desire of Faërie. I desired dragons with a profound desire. Of course, I in my timid body did not wish to have them in the neighbourhood, intruding into my relative safe world, in which it was, for instance, possible to read stories in peace of mind, free from fear.

Any work which compels readers to go out and actually act the dragon or the Viking or seek them would, I suspect, be regarded by Tolkien as pornography.

[Lalwendë]

Haha! Little did he know what he would unleash!



Of course, he has also inspired more than his fair share of metal and rock music, all of which also appeals to the Northern spirit. What is it? An urge for ultimate freedom? Going stir crazy from the long, cold nights?

I'd bet he'd have enjoyed the boat burning revelry of Up Helly-Aa as much as the next person.

[MatthewM]

I feel Tolkien achieved his goal in the way I feel a "northern air" while reading The Lord of the Rings. The English feeling Tolkien wanted to invoke definitely comes through in his writing.

As for rampaging...no, but I will say, everytime I read I anxiously await the day when I will take up my sword, unshealth it, and slay some orc. Maybe lead a rebellion to freedom against corruption. All while slaying some orc.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by MatthewM

As for rampaging...no, but I will say, everytime I read I anxiously await the day when I will take up my sword, unshealth it, and slay some orc. Maybe lead a rebellion to freedom against corruption. All while slaying some orc.

You can 'rampage' while slaying Orc though! A Rampage is not always a bad thing, sometimes it is Essential

Originally Posted by Mattius

I agree, it really makes my spine tingle and I love the way they let their anger overide every other thought in their mind (especially Feanor). They throw patience to the wind and rise up for themselves, forsaking the Valar and their council. Righteous rage I like to call it.

It's just so human how they react - and that whole idea of swearing an oath is incredibly Northern. Not to say that Southern cultures don't have Oaths, but you can hardly imagine a Scandinavian, Germanic or Celtic hero who had not taken some kind of Oath.

I don't know, but it's also so masculine in a way. Not masculine in the sense of men doing irrational things but in the sense that it is a muscular, strong reaction. If you look at how Eowyn wants to go to war, it is seen as an activity for the menfolk - yet she still wants to do it ; honour is clearly as important to the Rohirrim as it is/was to old Norse cultures for example. You can see they have their own 'Valhalla' when Theoden talks about going to the halls of his forefathers.

And you get that sense of cool Northern air in the Ride of the Rohirrim too. There's no sadness about it - this is a job which must be done, and if they die, then at least they have taken some Orc with them

[drigel]

The whole autumnal themes of the books sets the framework for the northern air feel for me. Especially so in my primary world, in the winter, when the angle of the sun is such that the light becomes bent, and confirms my place in the northern hemisphere. Something in my gut wants to reach for my war hammer and drive my ship to new lands..... ahhiiiiiaaaahh-ah!

only after the carefull reading of chicken organs, of course

seriously though, it's the lighting for me.

[Mattius]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

So where do you find this Northern air?

For me, the supreme section has to be the Kinslaying and the flight of the Noldor. The Prophecy of the North. The Crossing of the Helcaraxe. The Burning of the Ships.

I have always thrilled to hear stories like that - violent, epic and glacially cool. It might be the Viking blood in me calling out for such thrills, but when I hear about Feanor's deeds, no matter how bad he is, I just love it. I get the sense of sitting in a Longhouse with the fire blazing while the wind howls outside and a storyteller relates the tale. All it needs is a ruddy big dragon to descend with flames of fury to make it complete.

This kind of writing, together with the intimate re-imaginings of folklore (e.g. Tom and the Hobbits), is to me where Tolkien really excels. He just tells the story, no matter how violent, with no narratorial interruptions or asides, and it's left to you, the listener, to get your kicks. It's fey and fell and all of that.

Does anyone else get the urge to go on a rampage and burn a few ships after reading that kind of thing?

I agree, it really makes my spine tingle and I love the way they let their anger overide every other thought in their mind (especially Feanor). They throw patience to the wind and rise up for themselves, forsaking the Valar and their council. Righteous rage I like to call it.