Stick to your territory, AN Wilson!
 

This thread intends to follow the fine tradition of posters spitting vitriol at critics, deriding the so-called "literati". But with a twist.

For I myself am solidly literati-spawned. The cursed blood runs throughout my veins. I am even heading to become, I hope, a "literatus" myself. This means I tend to see the comically misguided bits of that world sharply. And rarely sharper than as regards Tolkien.

What I resent is not the failure to take Tolkien seriously or even to accept him as a writer at all. That's rather understandable bitterness at his all-consuming popularity. Also, knowing what such critics are missing in their self-imposed anti-Tolkienism, a little pity even feels appropriate.

No, what is truly laughable and pitiful is when these writers, politicians and journalists, having beheld the colossal rise of the Tolkien cult, and fearing its power, feel a necessity to give it craven, ludicrous, irrelevant little nods of approval.

I take this fine example from AN Wilson, an extremely witty and interesting biographer and journalist, if rather patchy as a novelist. This is from the Spectator, in an article paying tribute to a recently deceased colleague; an otherwise tremendous and moving piece, but cheapened thus:

It's a slight touch, achieved in passing, and to non-Tolkien readers it sounds rather learned in Tolkien lore. To those with the knowledge it's avoidable gobbledegook. Much as I am amused to see the Sindar raising their head in a political mag, it's still nonsense. AN Wilson, as CS Lewis' biographer (and the best one, I think) probably has read Tolkien's books; but that only makes it an exercise in dumbing down, all to strengthen a chance simile.

This kind of thing is but the mildest symptom. In the past I've seen politicians invoking Aragorn with a patent "this was slipped to me by PR and I don't know what it means" fashion. I've seen lame attempts to back up the Iraq war with such ache-inducing phrases as "the new Fellowship prepares to take on the new Sauron." I've seen an editorial invoking Lord of the Rings' appeal to justify its position.

The literary establishment (including my mother) often accuses Tolkien of cod-archaism. I would like to be the first to implore them to stop employing cod-Tolkienism.

I find it interesting, Anguirel, in light of a certain opinion by a certain Lhunadaga regarding the "similar" natures we exhibit on the 'Downs that you consider yourself an aspiring member of the Literary Establishment (albeit a more Tolkienly enlightened one than most) whereas I am, for all intents and purposes, very much non-Literati.

However, that's a mere aside to the conversation at hand, and with regards to your comments regarding the insidious use of Tolkien-references as a tentative grab at popularity, I am in generally complete agreement.

I too can recall about two-three years ago, when the Iraqi campaign was getting started and we were right in the middle of the theatrical releases, the annoying comparisons between the Lord of the Rings and the world political situation. What I found really annoying, however, was a certain attitude in the media (at least over here) that tended to think that the [i]Lord of the Rings[/b] applicability to the situation, in a situation supported and pushed by a largely Evangelical Christian movement, meant that the Lord of the Rings was a very Evangelicalish book- and thus they cleverly supported the anti-war bias of the media with the anti-Lord of the Rings bias of the critics.

Which is, of course, absurd, since the Lord of the Rings is a much more complex and deeper book than the critics would have us believe. Furthermore, I'm a perfect example of being a non-supporter of the war (following my pope here) while being a big fan of the books.

what i despise most about certain 'literati' are the ones who say how rubbish Lord of the Rings is, but when pressed, admit to never having read it. But they never seem bashful at this - they still stick to their guns!

it drives me insane with madness, it really does. I have examples, but don;t want to put you of them, as some of them are (or were to me) people I actually liked and read / watched.