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Gandalf_theGrey · 01-07-2003, 09:03 PM

Kalessin:

Hail and well met. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] * bows a friendly greeting *

I've often admired your posts. To answer your most recent one here, please allow me to copy and paste from something I originally posted in a thread started by Child of the 7th Age called "J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth", J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth ... an eminently worthy thread now buried by time:

Without having read Birzer, I made the connection between the Secret Fire and the Holy Spirit independently, based on the applicability of the symbol of the Secret Fire to my religious beliefs and my freedom as a reader.

Has Tolkien purposely integrated Christian aspects into his works? Of course he has ... "consciously so in the revision."

Has Tolkien also drawn elements from pagan mythology into his works? Of course he has ... before coming across a post where Child of the 7th Age mentions the similarity between Tolkien's Elves and Elves of Celtic legend, I made the same connection myself, having picked up a book on Irish fairy tales during a trip to Ireland in 1991. (I speak just enough Gaelic to order apple pie ... "Bewollum piog ul!" ) My interpretation of Tolkien's Elves bearing an uncanny resemblance to Irish Elves was based on the applicability of the similarities between the texts and my freedom as a reader.

Has Tolkien also drawn from Norse legend? As a matter of fact, he's used the names of my actual ancestors for his main characters. Yep, historical record (the proof of which I posted in another thread and am willing to provide to anyone who missed it and is still curious) documents the existence of Gandolf and Frodo (the spelling found for my particular ancestor may've actually been Frodo or Frotho*, if I recall.) On my last visit home for the Thanksgiving holidays, I was shown the latest documentation, and was amused to see the "Hobbit name" of Odo also comes from Scandinavia.

[Note: I edited this post from reading "Frodi" and "Frothi" to instead read "Frodo" and "Frotho" after double-checking my genealogical source, which unfortunately was not close to hand when I originally posted this in Child's thread.]

Gandalf the Grey

[ January 07, 2003: Message edited by: Gandalf_theGrey ]

01-07-2003, 09:03 PM	#39
Gandalf_theGrey Visionary Spirit Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 633	Kalessin: Hail and well met. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] * bows a friendly greeting * I've often admired your posts. To answer your most recent one here, please allow me to copy and paste from something I originally posted in a thread started by Child of the 7th Age called "J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth", J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth ... an eminently worthy thread now buried by time: Without having read Birzer, I made the connection between the Secret Fire and the Holy Spirit independently, based on the applicability of the symbol of the Secret Fire to my religious beliefs and my freedom as a reader. Has Tolkien purposely integrated Christian aspects into his works? Of course he has ... "consciously so in the revision." Has Tolkien also drawn elements from pagan mythology into his works? Of course he has ... before coming across a post where Child of the 7th Age mentions the similarity between Tolkien's Elves and Elves of Celtic legend, I made the same connection myself, having picked up a book on Irish fairy tales during a trip to Ireland in 1991. (I speak just enough Gaelic to order apple pie ... "Bewollum piog ul!" ) My interpretation of Tolkien's Elves bearing an uncanny resemblance to Irish Elves was based on the applicability of the similarities between the texts and my freedom as a reader. Has Tolkien also drawn from Norse legend? As a matter of fact, he's used the names of my actual ancestors for his main characters. Yep, historical record (the proof of which I posted in another thread and am willing to provide to anyone who missed it and is still curious) documents the existence of Gandolf and Frodo (the spelling found for my particular ancestor may've actually been Frodo or Frotho*, if I recall.) On my last visit home for the Thanksgiving holidays, I was shown the latest documentation, and was amused to see the "Hobbit name" of Odo also comes from Scandinavia. [Note: I edited this post from reading "Frodi" and "Frothi" to instead read "Frodo" and "Frotho" after double-checking my genealogical source, which unfortunately was not close to hand when I originally posted this in Child's thread.] Gandalf the Grey [ January 07, 2003: Message edited by: Gandalf_theGrey ]