Man behind the Mythology

[Rimbaud]

Indeed it is, Ms Berry, and I wasn't aware that 'bib' did not translate overseas. You learn something every day.

The floor is yours, Ma'am.

Grandiosely

~R

[Bêthberry]

You have done a public service, oh Perilous one. You have salvaged my view of Toller's infancy from a fate as bad as Ruskin's. Bib works here for infant neck apron, but around these parts, 'pinafore' is refers to the large aprons which young girls and teens wore over their dresses in earlier times. Oh these niceties of pond swimming.

But as to the floor: What did Tolkien do in hospital and on leave, after he survived the Battle of the Somme?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

He began writing the stories that later became the Silmarillion and the Book of Lost Tales.

[Bêthberry]

Well, Mz. Ghosted Princess, if you can tell us which stories, you can have all the floor. :D

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Oh, so you want fussy details, eh? ;) Well, the first story was 'The Fall of Gondolin', written during convalescence in 1917; next one was 'The Children of Húrin' in the same year, followed by the story of Beren and Lúthien - enough? :)

[Bêthberry]

Enough but not too much! ;)

Tell on, with hope that we shall guess your riddle.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Sorry that I forgot to carry on here! Thanks, Bb, for the gentle reminder. Here's a new question: What was the name of JRRT's aunt with whom he corresponded?

[Bêthberry]

Well, Esty, I cannot find any reference in the Letters to Aunt Grace Tolkien, but I believe that this younger sister of Tolkien's father told him stories about the family's past.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Sorry, it's not as easy as that, since her name is not 'Tolkien'. However, there are several letters written to her in the published collection. She read JRRT's works and he asked her opinion on them.

[elronds_daughter]

I believe that would be his Aunt Jane. However, I am at a loss to remember her last name. She was a Suffield before she married.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Aunt Jane it was - well done, and welcome to this thread, elronds_daughter! Her married name was Neave, and she was interested in Tolkien's works, as he was interested in her opinion. He wrote Letters # 231, 234, 238, and 241 to her; several of those are wonderfully long, chatty letters, very enjoyable to read!

Carry on with a new question, please!

[elronds_daughter]

Sorry it's been a while! I've been on vacation--no computer access, alas! Now, on to the question (it's an easy one):

Who wrote these words to Tolkien: "May you say the things I have tried to say long after I am not here to say them."













<disclaimer: If I got that quote wrong, forgive me. I've not got a book available to me at the moment.>

[Bêthberry]

Perhaps easy, but a sombre one as well.

It was G.B Smith, one of Tolkien's school mates, a member of the T.C.B.S. who had read Tolkien's early poetry and shared the early ideas and excitement about writing. Smith wrote those words to Tolkien shortly before he was was himself killed in World War I when a shell burst behind him while walking down a village road.

[elronds_daughter]

Well done, Bb. As I said, 'twas easy. Carry on!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

*Esty pokes Miz Berry...

[Bêthberry]

I wonder if this will be acceptable as a biographical tidbit.

Tolkien was not entirely happy with the surname "Gamgee." What name would he have preferred to change Gamgee to, if Christopher had let him? (And, yes, that "let him" is a quote!)

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Thanks to the excellent index in Letters, this was easy to find! (Happily for me, since I've not the time and energy for a lengthy search.) Here's the answer straight from Letter #72: I am not really satisfied with the surname Gamgee and shd. change it to Goodchild if I thought you would let me. Now, we've seen that surname used on this site, haven't we? *Esty points in the direction of 'Cami'...

[Bêthberry]

You're on the money, Estelyn!

And right also about our good Shire Mod, Cami Goodchild, aka Child of the 7th Age. When I saw that letter, I just had to use it to provide a small acknowledgement for her. :smokin:

[Estelyn Telcontar]

To which type of building did Tolkien compare Beowulf, especially in the light of literary criticism's handling of the text?

[The Elf-warrior]

A stone house?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

...not a house...

[elronds_daughter]

The ancient stone tower that was so mercilessly taken apart.....

[Estelyn Telcontar]

That's the answer, elronds_daughter! Well done! Now it's your turn...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

elronds_daughter, are you still around to carry on with a new question?

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

OK -- three months is long enough, I think, to wait. In the absence of elronds_daughter I shall ask a question:

Which saint did Tolkien take as his patron and why?

(This one is remarkably easy, but I hope that will get this thread moving again.)

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

St. John, because Tolkien was born on the Octave of this particular saint

right ?

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

St. John, because Tolkien was born on the Octave of this particular saint

right ?


Indeed it is! Your turn Rune Son.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Acctualy i don't know that much about the man him self, so I am having trouble finding a great question.

Anyway here goes: To whom did Tolkien first read Lord of the Rings ?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

To the Inklings, if I remember right...

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

That is how i remember it too.

Your thread Estelyn.