The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - (Lack of) Religion in LOTR

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(Lack of) Religion in LOTR

A lot of people have talked about strong religious undertones in LOTR, but im not so sure. I may be wrong, but i dont think religion is ever mentioned in LOTR. When people do things its for their friends, or because its the right thing to do - religion seems to have no bearing on their lives or actions.

Any thoughts?

Catholic/Christian 'undertones'

Quote:

Of course there was and is all the Arthurian world, but powerful as it is, it is imperfectly naturalized, associated with the soil of Britain but not with English; and does not replace what I felt to be missing. For one thing its `færie' is too lavish, and fantastical, incoherent and repetitive. For another and more important thing: it is involved in, and explicitly contains the Christian religion.
For reasons which I will not elaborate, that seems to me fatal. Myth and fairy-story must, as all art, reflect and contain in solution elements of moral and religious truth (or error), but not explicit, not in the known form of the primary `real' world. (I am speaking, of course. of our present situation, not of ancient pagan, pre-Christian days.)... ~letter 131

Quote:

The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like `religion', to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism. ~letter 142

[ July 17, 2002: Message edited by: Fingolfin of the Noldor ]

Fingolfin said it. While religion is not expressly mentioned in LotR, there is a very strong INTENTIONAL religios undertones

<font color="white">Oooh, boy! this is a hot topic. Tolkein was a Catholic and, after starting to write the books, he did go back and change things around so that they'd have a non-whichcraft/pro-Christian undertone. Tolkien did not want any "religion" per-se, but he did want to represent and support good morals and standards. If you want me to get more in-depth in this, I will, but for now, that's the basic I idea. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Quote:

Tolkien did not want any "religion" per-se, but he did want to represent and support good morals and standards.

That is what I personally appreciate in Tolkien’s works (among other things). Of course there are strong religious undertones and ideas, as has been stated, but they are not too prominent, not offensive to people of other confession or non-believers – IMHO . And supporting high moral standards – that’s a sign of really good literary work.

Uhh, have any of you guys read the Trilogy and Bible thread?

[img]smilies/confused.gif[/img] Anyone?

[img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] Just wondering. . .