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Aiwendil, you're right that LotR was and is misinterpreted by some critics and "literary establishment" types. But so what? Those who wish to read allegory in the story still do so regardless of Tolkien's denial. I daresay that the vast majority of his readers enjoy the book in exactly the sort of way that he hoped they would.
The letter H-I dredged up contains the exact sentiment, even if he intended it for a different context: "If it has any virtues, they remain as such, whether you know all this [background information] or do not."
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