The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...

davem · 11-23-2004, 03:20 AM

Hmm, don't know if that alleviates or exacerbates the problem. Of course, printers errors should be identified & removed, but my difficulty is with changes like the one that started this thread off, which alter the (percieved) meaning of a character's statements. I accept that some changes are the result of annotations made by Tolkien in his copies of LotR, some in notes that he made. On that basis such changes could be made in order to achieve the version of LotR that he would have wanted.

But, were all these note for changes made at the same time? How do we know whether a change he wanted made in 1960 he would still have wanted made in 1972? Or whether he would have wanted those changes made if he were still alive?

Let's speculate that he was still alive now - what about 'queer' & 'gay' would he want those words replaced with 'suitable' substitutes? Or the Earendilinwe - why does this edition not include the final version which CT says should have been the one that was printed?

I've had the Companion & Guide on order since it was first announced 18 months to 2 years ago & will be fascinated to read the authors explanations. However the point still remains. Changes are being made for various reasons, some I'm fine with, others I'm not, but changes are being made without authorial approval. A 'committee' have appointed themselves to the job of producing an 'ideal' edition of a text who's author is dead. If nothing else that's a pretty 'novel' situation & worth thinking about.

11-23-2004, 03:20 AM	#45
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Hmm, don't know if that alleviates or exacerbates the problem. Of course, printers errors should be identified & removed, but my difficulty is with changes like the one that started this thread off, which alter the (percieved) meaning of a character's statements. I accept that some changes are the result of annotations made by Tolkien in his copies of LotR, some in notes that he made. On that basis such changes could be made in order to achieve the version of LotR that he would have wanted. But, were all these note for changes made at the same time? How do we know whether a change he wanted made in 1960 he would still have wanted made in 1972? Or whether he would have wanted those changes made if he were still alive? Let's speculate that he was still alive now - what about 'queer' & 'gay' would he want those words replaced with 'suitable' substitutes? Or the Earendilinwe - why does this edition not include the final version which CT says should have been the one that was printed? I've had the Companion & Guide on order since it was first announced 18 months to 2 years ago & will be fascinated to read the authors explanations. However the point still remains. Changes are being made for various reasons, some I'm fine with, others I'm not, but changes are being made without authorial approval. A 'committee' have appointed themselves to the job of producing an 'ideal' edition of a text who's author is dead. If nothing else that's a pretty 'novel' situation & worth thinking about. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."