[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by davem

There may have been some autobiographical element in Tolkien's repeated use of fostering but it was a common theme in Celtic tradition, both in legend & in fact, as it was found to be an effective way to ensure peace & unity between families.

Yes, it is a very literary--or perhaps narrative would be the better term here-- trope. This was my suggestion in my first post here. I think that to explore autobiographical interests, one would have to find fairly extensive development of the theme, which is what my questions were directed to. In addition to pointing out all the examples of fostering in literature and mythology, and in Tolkien's life, it would be, imho, valuable to consider how the theme is explored in the story. Certainly, for Arwen and Aragorn, there is the strong suggestion that this fostering works into the theme of the elves and men.

Originally Posted by davem

Tolkien certainly drew on Welsh myth & legend & the Mabinogion was a major influence. Possibly this theme in the myths touched him more deeply because of his personal circumstances, but it wasn't his invention. Caitlin Matthews' 2 volume study of the Mabinogion, Mabon & the Mysteries of Britain & Arthur & the Sovereignty of Britain are a good place to start on the relevance of Fostering in Celtic society.

My comments were directed more to Helen's comment concerning, for instance, selkies. I don't doubt there's much to be found in the Welsh mythology, but there are a few querilous comments about things Celtic in Tolkien's Letters, which I don't have at hand now. Still and all, disparaging comments in Letters don't automatically mean absence in the work of art.

Originally Posted by davem

'Britain' in the modern sense, is a political invention. Tolkien was not 'British' but English, & it was the English, alone, who he felt lacked a mythology. He clearly felt his ancestry to be English, so he would not have seen the Anglo-Saxons as 'interlopers' or 'invaders'. It wasn't a matter of 'siding' with anyone - he clearly felt in his heart & his bones that he was English - he states as much in his letters. Over here very few of us will refer to ourselves as 'British' if we're asked about our nationality - in fact, generally speaking, the Scots & Welsh (& Cornish, etc), would be quite offended to be called 'British', identifying themselves with their own country rather than with the political entity of 'Britain'. The English are increasingly taking the same approach. I tend to think of myself as English, not 'British' (though if you were to ask me I might even put being a Yorkshireman (or a 'Tyke') before being English.

Point taken, although, as you will note by the bolding that I added to the previous quotation from your post, the term 'Britain' seems to carry a literary function as well as political one.

EDIT: John Milton might be forgiven, after the Commonwealth and then Restoration, for calling his history, The History of Britain, that part especially now called England. He was an early enthusiast who wished to make use of the Arthurian tales, if I am not mistaken.